


Rainfall

by becca_dunbar_raeken



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Broken Liam Dunbar, Caring Corey Bryant, Caring Mason Hewitt, Caring Nolan Holloway, Caring Theo Raeken, Depressed Liam Dunbar, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Food Issues, Good Alpha Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Good Theo Raeken, Hospitalization, Hurt Liam Dunbar, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Injury Recovery, Kidnapped Liam Dunbar, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Character Death, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Theo Raeken, Rescued, Sad Liam Dunbar, Sad Theo Raeken, Starvation, Suicidal Thoughts, Theo to the Rescue, Thiam, Trauma Recovery, feeding tube, morey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27746086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/becca_dunbar_raeken/pseuds/becca_dunbar_raeken
Summary: Forty days. Forty nights. That was the last time anyone had saw Liam Dunbar. Theo had him back in his arms now, but would it be too late to save him?!!!TW: mentions of abuse, kidnapping, pain, PTSD, minor character death, emotional and physical hurt, torture, self-harm, blood, hospitalization, suicidal thoughts mentioned(Theo has to help Liam recover from emotional/physical trauma)
Relationships: Alec/Nolan (Teen Wolf), Braeden/Derek Hale, Chris Argent/Melissa McCall, Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Lydia Martin/Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall/Malia Tate
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	1. Missing

Forty days. Forty nights. That was the last time anyone had saw Liam Dunbar.

The beta was walking home from lacrosse practice a Wednesday night. He argued with Theo earlier that he would be fine getting a ride with someone instead of Theo leaving work early to pick him up. He didn’t even ask someone else; Liam was confident he would just walk home. The chimera still blamed himself. Liam never made it home. The only clues were a small patch of blood, where they ruled his head hit the concrete, the smell of wolfsbane lingering in the air, Liam’s phone smashed on the road, and Theo’s sweatshirt he was wearing thrown in the ditch. Theo arrived at the Dunbar-Geyer home after his shift to be greeted with their dead bodies in the living room and a note telling them that they will never find him. 

His hand shook over the phone as he called the sheriff station. That’s when the hunt began. 

In addition to the sheriff department, mostly Parrish and Noah, Scott came home from college first; Theo and he paired off searching everywhere for the past forty days. They would only stop when Melissa made them take a break to eat and sleep. Corey and Mason were continually searching Beacon Hills, invisible, visible it didn’t matter. They were going to find their best friend. Nolan and Alec were now under the McCall’s roof and followed Argent scanning the area. They were hunters; they could find him. Malia soon came home from her excursion with Peter and joined the strange pairing of Scott and Theo. She didn’t even care about Theo right now. He was different, but they were all different. No one spoke; there wasn’t laughter. They just wanted the beta found. Lydia and Stiles arrived shortly after Scott taking their classes online. Lydia began attempting to conjure up a sign of the boy while Stiles scanned every database across the nation. Scott called Derek and Braeden searching more of a widespread area, where even Peter joined the hunt with Malia’s pleas. Still, there was no sign of the beta.

It was Parrish who found him answering a noise complaint on the outskirts of Beacon Hills. Neighbors staying in their cabin retreat reported strange sounds, lights, and screams from an abandoned cabin in the woods; of course, the sheriff sent the hellhound. He was shocked to find a basement filled with torture equipment, bottles of blood, and strange weapons. He was greeted by two doctors who tried to attack him, promptly to have their hands burned off. They were human, but Parrish could see they knew what they were doing. He found remains of wolfsbane, mistletoe, and silver. He saw notes pinned on the wall, failure, unsuccessful trial, attempt 73; he looked at the remains of their work. A vaccine, they were trying to make a vaccine containing werewolf blood to cure all ailments. He stared at their unconscious bodies as he was about ready to call the station for transport when he heard a whimper. He ran towards the sound, and that’s when he found him. Liam or what was left of the beta was curled up in a ball. He was shaking, scared. Bruises littered his skin, dried blood laid across his body, his cheeks were sunken in, bones jutting out; he looked so small, so weak. 

“Liam, it’s me,” Parrish said calmly. 

The boy jumped and tried to hide further into himself.

“Jordan Parrish, deputy, hellhound, your friend,” Parrish tried to coax him. 

Liam slowly looked up seeing the deputy’s figure, “Parrish?” His voice croaked as if he hasn’t spoken in days.

“Yes, let’s get you out of here.”

“Are they?”

“Police transport is on their way,” Parrish assured him.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure Liam they are out; can I pick you up?” Parrish knew the boy was going to be hesitant to his touch.

Liam nodded cautiously as Parrish heard Stilinski in two other deputies arrive on the scene. Liam jumped again and began to shake.

“Liam, it’s just the Sheriff,” Parrish said calmly, “you’re safe now.”

Liam nodded.

“I’m going to pick you up; are you okay with that?”

Liam just stared at him, blue eyes pooled with tears, but nodded his head. Parrish watched as the boy winced under his touch, panicked actually. The response was pain, terror. Parrish spoke calmly to him; he saw the unhealed bruises across the boy’s small body, not even his healing factor could keep up. They did this to him. He was so light; the deputy almost forgot he was holding an eighteen-year boy. He looked like they haven’t fed him in the forty days; it took a huge toll on the werewolf. Parrish walked out holding Liam as the sheriff turned.

“Liam?” the sheriff stared over.

Parrish felt Liam tense under his name being called out loud. Parrish nodded yes to the man. He was shocked this wasn’t the Liam that was kidnapped forty days ago. This was a terrified boy a shell of what he used to be. His confidence, spunk, smile all gone left with panic and terror. His body half the size it used to be, blood and dirt coating his skin. 

The sheriff sighed, “Parrish take him to the hospital immediately. I’ll call Melissa.”

With the word hospital, Liam’s mind processed doctors as he squirmed his way out of the hellhound’s arm. His body hit the floor, but he was too weak to stand on his own as he continued to fall towards the ground.

“Liam,” Noah stared at him gently. The boy’s head was spinning as his vision turned black, and that’s all he remembered. 

Melissa called Scott as soon as Parrish brought him in. Doctors were on it clearing out his wounds, giving him an IV, but Melissa knew the physical trauma was minor. He was mentally scarred. She stared at the boy curled up in the hospital bed, looking fragile, and ten years younger than he was. She almost cried for him; he lost his parents and himself. He was a pile of bruised bones lying there instead of the hyperactive beta of her son that she knew and loved. She wasn’t going to leave his side until the others got there.

After getting off the phone with Melissa, Scott ran upstairs to get Theo. He felt bad the chimera had just fallen asleep after searching for thirty-six hours straight; Theo loved Liam. He never thought he would be as devastated as he was the day Liam went missing. He’s been nonstop searching for him; Scott even saw him cry many times over the missing boy.

“Theo?”

“What?” Theo jumped out of bed in a fighting stance.

“They found him.”


	2. Safety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: hospital scene, PTSD of trauma

“Is he?” Theo couldn’t even finish the sentence; he had to be alive He needed him alive.

“Alive, yes,” Scott assured him, leaving out if he was good or not. Malia met them downstairs as the three headed off towards the hospital. They swung by and picked Mason and Corey up as Lydia and Stiles met them there. Nolan, Alec, and Argent were already at the hospital checking on Melissa. 

Nolan and Alec stared at each other in silence as they looked at their broken friend unconscious in the hospital bed, shocked and scared. Scott, Malia, Mason, Corey, and Theo broke in next. Theo instantly rushing to his side, scanning his broken body. 

He rubbed his hand through his hair, “oh, Little Wolf.”

Scott and Melissa stared at each other as the woman gave him a side hug. Mason began to cry as Corey just gripped his hand harder. Malia stood there in shock as Lydia and Stiles barged in. Lydia almost screamed right there and then as Stiles wrapped her in his arms. They all just stood there for a few minutes in silence.

“Hey, I know you all care a lot about him, but we all can’t be in here when he wakes up. We don’t want to overwhelm him,” Melissa looked at the group. She stared back at Theo's elbows on his knees as he watched over the beta. “Theo and I will stay with him; you guys can sit out in the waiting room until he is comfortable.” They nodded leaving the room.

Theo stared at Liam; he knew how the Dread Doctors tortured people until they lost themselves. He stared at Liam’s broken body; someone did this to him, Liam. His fragile state looked deathly, but Liam was strong, even now. He thought this was some form of karma for all the work he did for the Dread Doctors, finally coming back to him by taking out the one person he loved. 

“He’s going to be okay; it’s going to take time, but he will be,” Melissa stared at the chimera, tears coming down his face.

“Is he?” Theo stared up at her.

“He will be; he has people who love him.”

Theo nodded, hoping it was enough, “why don’t you think he’s healing?”

“His healing ability is doing everything just to keep him alive,” Melissa stared at him, "he was surviving off of nothing. He had nothing left in him; he had days if Parrish didn’t find him."

“I just wish I would have picked him up that day,” Theo said quietly, shuttering at the thought of Liam having days.

“Theo, you and I know you have done a lot of things in your life, but letting him down is not one of them. You can’t blame yourself for this; he needs you to be strong for him. You are now his anchor more than ever.”

Theo nodded he knew Melissa knew he had changed. She even helped him get a job at the hospital as a nurse’s aide. He just stared back down at Liam, trying to convince himself he needed to be there for him and couldn’t let his own self-blame get in the way.

Argent walked back into the hospital after getting off the phone with Parrish. He entered the waiting room to a bunch of solemn kids. Scott’s head was in his hands as Malia had her arm draped over him. Lydia was leaning on Stiles’s shoulder as he was rubbing his hand through her hair. Corey and Mason were holding hands both leaning on one another. Nolan was wrapping himself tighter in his sweatshirt, bouncing his leg up and down as Alec was rubbing his shoulder. 

“Find out anything?” Scott finally asked the man.

“They are two doctors; they knew of you guys through Monroe’s troops. She supplied them, instructed them, then they did the rest. One was the school nurse.”

Mason, Corey, Alec, and Nolan exchanged glances. They were this close to Liam’s kidnapper, and they never knew. 

“They thought they could use his blood to make people have the same healing properties you guys have.”

“Why did they go after Liam?” Scott asked.

“He’s strong; they probably figured he would take longer to kill than anyone else, and they were right. He fought for his life; anyone else would probably be dead by now,” Argent told them.

“What did they do to him?” Alec asked.

Argent sighed, “a lot let’s just say that; he’s going to need you guys more than ever. Physically, he’ll heal, mentally that’s where it hurts.”

Corey stood up suddenly, “well, it doesn’t look like he’s healing to me; we need to do something more than this."

Everyone stared at the chameleon; it was unlike him. First to even speak up, much less against Argent. He was angry, terrified, and worried for Liam’s sake. Mason pulled him back down watching his boyfriend’s hands shaking.

“His body is keeping himself alive that’s why he can’t heal his wounds; he doesn’t have enough energy to do both right now. Melissa is doing all she can,” he answered him calmly.

“They starved him for forty days, so his healing ability would always be activated to keep him alive,” Mason said quietly and realization.

Argent nodded regretfully, “And that’s why they beat him to get an enhanced response of it. They thought it would help their results.”

Everyone else was silent; Liam didn’t deserve that. No one did, but especially not the beta. He was always the first one to enter a fight; he fought for everyone, what was right. He brought out the good in people. He suffered alone for forty days, and that wasn’t going to go away quickly.

Hours passed, but Theo saw Liam move slightly. His eyes didn’t open, right away, but Theo knew he was awake.

“Little Wolf.”

Liam lied there; he heard Theo’s voice. It couldn’t be him, only Theo called him that. He wasn’t safe; they didn’t find him. It was a dream, a dream; Theo wasn’t there. Parrish’s hands brought him slowly back into reality; was he actually safe? Was it actually Theo? He slowly opened his eyes, seeing the bright lights of the hospital. 

Theo slid over, “hey.”

Liam took a breath in; it was Theo. “Theo?”

“I’m here,” Theo went to touch his hand. Liam flinched pulling it away at first, but then returned it to the chimera. Theo sighed that wasn’t Liam; Liam always was the one who enjoyed physical affection. He taught Theo how to hug, how to hold hands; he always latched on to Theo. 

“Sorry,” Liam said quietly.

“No apologizes; you’ve been through a lot.”

Liam’s eyes searched his arm and saw the IV in his elbow. He panicked and ripped it out; the doctors were still trying to get his blood. They must have taken Theo too. 

“Liam,” Theo quickly grabbed his hand as the boy tried to pull them away, “you’re safe; you’re at the hospital. Melissa is your nurse.”

Liam didn’t believe him; it was a trap. He felt his heartbeat out of his chest. His arm bleeding from the ripped-out IV.

“Li, you have to calm down, look at me,” Theo said calmly as he saw Liam’s eyes flash yellow. He noticed something awful; Liam’s claws were gone. There were just stubs where Theo assumed they were trying to grow back, but they had nothing to fuel them. They ripped off his claws. Liam’s exhaustion took over, and he collapsed back onto the bed. His eyes met the chimera’s as they returned to blue. 

“I’m safe?” Liam asked, tears streaming down his face.

Theo’s heart broke at the fear in voice, “of course, I’m not going to let anything happen to you ever again.”

Melissa rushed in hearing voices; she quickly saw Liam managed to rip out his IV.

“Liam,” she looked at him calmly.

Liam stared at her it was Melissa, “Melissa?” He was still crying; he was safe. 

“It’s me,” she gave him a small smile, “Liam, I have to bandage your IV, then we have to reinsert it. You need it right now, honey. Can I touch your arm?”

Liam tensed again; he didn’t want the IV. He didn’t trust it, but he trusted Melissa. He gave in, “yes.”

“Okay, 1,2,3,” she grabbed his arm as he pulled away from her touch. She began wrapping his arm.

“Liam, hold onto me,” Theo said gently. Liam nodded grabbing the chimera’s hand. Theo was scared of how weak his grip was, normally the beta would bruise his arm with how strong he was, now there was nothing left. 

“Liam, look at Theo; I’m going to put the IV in your hand.”

Liam was sobbing at this point; he was scared. He couldn’t lose more blood. He felt the pinch of the needle and forgot how to breathe. 

“Liam, Liam, Liam!” Theo stared at him, trying to get him to breathe. 

“Liam, it’s over I promise; I’m not going to poke you anymore,” Melissa assured him. 

“Liam, can I hug you?” Theo asked.

Liam managed to nod in his panic attack while Theo wrapped his arms around the boy. The beta freaked out at first scared of the connection but eventually settled into his strong arms. The boy was so small in his arms; he felt like a child. He wasn’t a child; he was Liam. One of the strongest werewolves out there, standout lacrosse player, the alpha of the puppy pack, his boyfriend, but right now he was a scared child.

Theo held him for a few minutes as Melissa watched over his weak vitals. Liam’s breathing returned to normal, but he refused to let go of Theo. 

“Liam, is it okay if Theo slides in bed beside you?” Melissa asked.

Liam nodded as Theo sat down beside the boy in bed. Melissa hoped having Theo so close to him would make him feel protected. They sat there Liam using Theo for full support.

“How did Parrish find me?” Liam finally asked.

“You remember he did?” Theo asked.

“It came back to me.”

“He had a noise complaint to where you were being held.”

Liam nodded.

“Liam, we looked for you for forty days straight.”

The realization his Liam; he was gone for forty days. He remembered the first day; they brought in pictures of his parents' bodies. They warned him if he did anything that his friends would be killed, all of them. He tried to block out the abuse, the hunger, the weakness, the pain; it was there though.


	3. Pack Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PTSD of abuse, hospital scene

Theo let Liam curl into the side of him as he felt the beta shaking. He could tell he was trying to keep calm, but he could scent his anxiety and paranoia.

“Liam, there’s a pack that would like to see you, but if it’s overwhelming right now you don’t have to,” Melissa said after a few minutes. 

“Who?” Liam asked suddenly cautious. 

Theo pulled him in closer, “it’s just Scott, Malia, Corey, Mason, Stiles, Lydia, Nolan, and Alec. They all care about you.”

“Okay,” Liam said quietly, “I’m okay.”

Melissa nodded and went out to get the rest of them, “he’s awake, but you guys need to be calm. He’s very shaken right now.”

Scott almost threw Malia to the ground jumping up.

“She said calmly,” Malia growled back. 

“Sorry,” Scott hugged her.

Mason and Corey were the first ones to walk in, quickly entering.

“Liam,” Mason smiled.

“Mason,” Liam was relieved it was him, his best friend was right in front of him. 

“I didn’t know what I was going to do without you,” Mason told him.

“We missed you a lot,” Corey smiled.

“I missed you too,” Liam responded. 

They sat down close to Liam’s bed; there’s presence made him feel better. Mason and Corey were always there for him; they always supported them. He trusted them. Scott, Malia, Lydia, Stiles, Alec, and Nolan came in all at once next. Argent hovered by the doorway. Liam appreciated it; no one would get through him.

“Liam, I’m so sorry,” Scott looked at him.

“It’s okay,” Liam answered, “no one could do anything about it.”

“It still shouldn’t have happened to you.”

Malia smiled, “we are glad to have you back.”

“It hasn’t been the same without you,” Stiles nodded.

“You had us scared,” Lydia added on.

Alec smiled, while Nolan looked with concern over him. He missed Liam; he was so worried about him.

“I’ve really missed you,” Nolan said quietly.

“Thank you for not giving up on me,” Liam answered them all. Theo noticed he pressed against him more, almost backing away from everyone.

Liam knew they weren’t going to hurt him; they cared about him, but there was just so much. He hasn’t seen people other than the doctors since he was taken. 

Theo heard his heart rate speed up, “Liam, can I grab your hand?” The boy was completely folding into the chimera, but Theo was still being cautious when reaching out to him.

“Yes.”

Mason and Corey winced at that; Liam always was the one reaching out for hugs. 

After a while Melissa and Argent came back into the room, “I think you guys need to let Liam have some quiet the rest of the night, and all of you need to go get some sleep and dinner yourselves.”

Lydia and Stiles stood up first, “see you tomorrow,” Stiles smiled as Lydia blew him a kiss. Malia followed them giving him a wave and smile. 

“We’ll come to visit first thing in the morning,” Nolan assured him, followed out by Alec giving him a wave. 

“If you need anything, you know we are here for you,” Mason told his best friend.

“You’re going to be okay, Liam,” Corey said smiling as they walked out hand in hand. 

Scott finally stood up, “I’m not going to let this happen to you ever again. I will be here for you; I promise.”

“Thanks, Scott,” Liam said quietly. He hoped the alpha didn’t blame himself; it wasn’t his fault. 

Theo refused to get off the bed; Liam was thankful. Melissa was waiting for them all to leave, before talking.

“Are you okay with Theo hearing everything?’ she asked.

“Please let him stay,” Liam answered meekly as if she was going to rip the chimera out of the room.

“Of course,” Melissa smiled. Theo gripped his hand tighter. 

“Okay, Liam; I know this is hard. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I’m going to have to ask you some questions to know what I need to do for you. Are you going to be okay?”

Liam nodded.

“Okay, we gave you a blood transfusion, some fluids, and cleared up the open wounds. Are you in any pain right now?”

Liam thought about it; he was just sore all over. It wasn’t pain. He was numb, mentally he was still trying to recall the past forty days. He just wanted to curl up with Theo and never leave. Was he in pain? 

“I guess I’m just light-headed, and I just feel weak all over.”

Melissa nodded, “Nothing broken?”

“I think everything healed they broke; I’m not sure though something’s wrong with my healing I think,” Liam stuttered over the words. He looked down at his skinny arms, bruises and dried blood was all over them. 

Theo sighed at his words “healed they broke;” Liam, his Little Wolf, was tortured, bones broke, beaten, starved. He couldn’t even imagine. The Dread Doctors experimented on him sure, but nothing like that. They made sure he was kept functional and alive. Liam’s kidnappers expected his eventual death.

“There’s nothing wrong with your healing; it’s keeping you alive right now. It’s just being overworked right now.”

Liam nodded. 

“I think all your external wounds will heal fine; I’m worried about your overall health though. When you first came in, they gave you some blood work,” Melissa began.

Liam almost panicked at the thought of them taking more blood.


	4. Touch Starved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PTSD of abuse, starvation

“Liam, they aren’t going to take anymore; they gave you it back. You’re okay,” Melissa saw his pale complexion change, “you’re deficient in about every vitamin, and you can probably notice, but your BMI is severely low. We are giving you fluids, but you are also dehydrated. We need to help you with that, but I know your body isn’t going to be used to food or nutrients right away. Your body is using its healing ability to keep your organs functioning. When was the last time you ate anything?”

Liam thought about it; they never fed him. When was the last thing he ate? He couldn’t even think about any food at this point; the thought of it made him nauseous. He was starved for so long much less with his stupid werewolf metabolism. The forty days ate him away, literally; he knew he could barely stand on his own. How was he supposed to fight? Play lacrosse? His muscles were non-existent. Liam hated feeling weak more than anything, now he was here. He figured he could barely even shift at this point; it took a toll on the average werewolf even healthy ones. Focus Liam, he reminded himself, seeing Melissa staring at him. Theo was pretending not to lean into every word, but Liam felt his heart racing. Theo was scared for him; he figured the chimera almost destroyed himself over Liam’s kidnapping. Theo. Wait he was supposed to be remembering the last time he ate. It came to him. 

Liam heard his alarm go off that morning he went missing. Theo knocked on his door; his mom knocked on the door. He didn’t care; he was exhausted for some reason. Oh, he spent half the night studying for a stupid biology exam. He finally pulled himself out of bed and threw on clothes. He ran downstairs as he was about to be late for school. Theo was going to drive him like always. He ran into his mom at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Love you,” Liam told her as he ran out to the chimera’s truck.

“Love you too. Liam, do you want something to take for breakfast?” she called after him. She chuckled to herself; he didn’t even hear her. He was already sprinting out the door. “Oh, that boy,” she smiled to herself. She had no clue that was the last thing she would ever say to him. 

Liam hopped into Theo’s passenger seat. 

“Sleepy Little Wolf?”

“Shut up,” Liam rolled his eyes, “I had to study for a biology exam.”

“I told you I would help you, but you assured me you were fine,” Theo glared at him.

“I didn’t want to keep you up all night; you work today.”

“And you have school,” Theo smirked, “Here I grabbed this for you since you decided to ignore your mom.” Theo handed him a to-go cup of coffee and a protein bar.

“Thanks never would I think Theo Raeken would be making sure I ate something before school,” Liam smiled.

“I know how angry you get when you’re hungry; I actually did this for Mason, Corey, Nolan, and Alec.”

“Hmm since when do you care about anyone other than yourself?”

“Correction, I care about two people, myself, then an annoying, reckless beta with anger issues.”

“I hate you,” Liam smirked. 

“Oh really? Well, I can take the coffee back.”

Liam growled, “fine, I maybe love you.”

“I maybe love you too, Little Wolf. Now, are you sure you are just going to get a ride with someone; I can leave work early.”

“No, Theo I’ll be fine.”

“Just promise me you won’t walk home alone again,” Theo pleaded.

“Theo, I’m an eighteen-year-old boy with claws; I think I’ll be okay.”

“There are hunters still out there.”

“And you drive alone all the time,” Liam argued.

“Fine have a good day,” Theo pulled into the school.

“Thanks, you too,” Liam blew him a kiss as he jumped out greeted by a joke from Nolan about it. 

“Uh, the morning before they took me,” Liam finally muttered out.

“Oh gosh,” Melissa stated.

“It was that stupid protein bar wasn’t it?” Theo asked him.

Liam nodded, “I was helping the freshman on their back shots during lunch; I remember now.”

“Oh, Little Wolf,” Theo let Liam lean into him as much as he could. He felt the beta’s bone shoulder; his whole body still shaking. He was freezing, no matter how much he tried to steal Theo’s body heat.

“Okay, we will start small,” Melissa promised him, “now, I know this is a lot right now, but do you want to talk about anything that happened?”

Liam shook his head quickly; he didn’t feel like trying to remember anything else right now.

“Okay, honey; you don’t have to yet, but I think talking to someone might help you.”

“I don’t have to stay here overnight; do I?” Liam asked, realizing what everyone was saying.

“Liam, you aren’t stable enough to leave right now; maybe tomorrow, but not tonight I can’t discharge you.” 

Liam began to panic looking around at the machines; they were going to do something to him. He couldn’t stay here. 

Melissa and Theo saw his panic attack begin to form.

“Liam, usually we don’t let this, but I’m going to get approval for Theo to stay with you.”

Liam nodded and relaxed a little bit. Theo could protect him, but what if they got him. Theo couldn’t be put through what he had been through. He could stand the thought of it; Theo’s changed he didn’t deserve that.

“Hey,” Theo said seeing the boy’s thoughts wonder, “I’m not going to let anything happen to us.”

“Okay.” 

“Liam, do you remember Dr. Brandy? She’s going to be setting up your treatment plan.”

Liam nodded; he was friends with his step-dad. His dead step-dad, his mom was dead. They were both dead because of him. They were killed to get to him. Liam was the reason they were killed. Tears formed in the boy’s eyes.

“Liam,” Theo rubbed his hand. 

“They were killed because of me.”

“No stop you can’t blame yourself; there are just evil people in this world.”

“Liam, I know your parents wouldn’t want you to blame yourself. They loved you; you need to focus on getting better for them.”

Liam tried to compose himself but ended up burying his face in Theo’s arm.

They sat with him quietly for a few minutes until he stopped crying.

“I’m going to go get you two something to eat to try to get something in you, okay?”

“I’m safe?” Liam looked up at Theo.

“Of course, I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Theo assured him again. He could tell Liam still was warry of everything

Melissa came back in with dinner for Theo to eat with Liam as she gave him a bowl of broth. 

“They want you starting on a liquid diet until you can hold something down.”

“Okay,” Liam stared at the bowl. The smell itself almost made him throw up. Theo started eating in hopes of Liam following him; he did but the instant the broth hit his mouth, nausea took over. 

“Liam, I know it’s going to hurt, but you have to eat some more of it,” Melissa instructed gently.  
“Okay,” Liam tried another spoonful. He ate a few more bites and pushed it aside. “I can’t eat anymore.”

“Okay,” Melissa took it away from him, “just lie back; you need to keep that down.”

Liam nodded shutting his eyes. 

“Theo, why don’t you go home and grab clothes for both of you?” Melissa told him a few moments later, waking Liam out of his trance. 

“Okay,” Theo started to get up when he felt Liam grab his jacket, “Liam, I’ll be right back.”

Liam stared up at him, puppy dog eyes filled with worry. Theo realized he didn’t want to be left alone.

“I’ll just call Mason, and he can grab something,” he looked at the nurse.

“How about I get Scott to sit with you, Liam?”

Liam nodded. He could let Theo go; he would be back. Theo wasn’t going to leave him; he would be back. Right? Scott. Scott is his alpha, one of his best friends, his mentor; he trusted him. He wasn’t going to hurt him. Scott cared about him. 

“Okay,” Liam slowly let go of Theo’s jacket.

“I’ll be right back,” Theo gave him a small smile, “I love you.”

Those words hit Liam; no one has told him that for so long. Theo loved him. He was safe; he was loved. He was going to be okay, flashed of the dingy basement flashed in his mind. No, he wasn’t there. This wasn’t a dream; this was real.

“I love you too,” Liam said fighting back tears.


	5. Reforming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PTSD of abuse

Scott and Theo met at the doorway. 

“Are you okay?” Scott stared at the chimera who managed to also have tears in his eyes.

“I just don’t like seeing him like this,” Theo admitted.

“We are going to be here for him,” Scott gave him a side hug.

“I know,” Theo went to walk away.

“Theo, be careful.”

Theo smiled, “Thanks, Scott.” What a weird change a year can have on someone. Last year his claws were in the alpha’s chest now he just hugged him. A lot can change if someone loves you; Theo thought about it. 

He wasn’t blind; he knew he was attracted to Liam early on, but when Liam was the one who brought him back from Hell. It was over; he somehow fell for him. It first started as repayment for bringing him back, but then when Theo began to save him more than just once. It was obvious he cared about him. After the hospital, Liam stared at him, bloody and bruised as he climbed into the chimera’s truck after he told him he would drop him off at his house.

“Why did you come back for me?” Liam asked knowing Theo could have left Beacon Hills and saved his own skin hours ago.

“I..I care about you, Liam,” Theo was tired of hiding it.

“You care about me?” Liam stared at him.

“Somehow,” Theo smirked, “I don’t know how you did it.”

“What if I said I cared about you too?” Liam answered.

“Like you wanted me to come back?”

Liam shook his head, “I appreciate you being here.”

“What if I decided to stay in Beacon Hills?”

“What if I offered you our extra bedroom?” Liam asked glancing back at the pile of blankets in the back seat.

“I might say yes,” Theo nodded, “But only if you…”

“Just do it, Theo.”

Theo smiled and reached over and pulled the beta’s head towards his, lying his lips on his. They were locked for a few moments.

“You wanted to do that in the elevator, didn’t you?” Liam asked.

“Thought it might not be the best timing,” Theo smirked, looking over to see Mason, Nolan, and Corey standing outside his truck.

“Uh, you didn’t see anything?” Theo rolled down his window as Liam tried to hide his red cheeks.

“Took you long enough,” Mason laughed.  
“The tension was getting uncomfortable,” Corey shrugged.

Liam glared at them.

“Being the bait really?” Mason brought up.

“You told them about that!” Theo looked over at Liam.

“I tell Mason everything.”

Theo just shook his head, “fine, you caught me red-handed, just don’t look too long or my hands might be red with something else.”

“You were doing so well,” Liam looked over.

“I’m still Theo Raeken.”

“Unfortunately,” Liam smiled

“Hey, can you two stop flirting for two minutes?” Mason stared at them.

“What Mas?” Liam asked.

“Can you drop Nolan off at his house? He lives closer to you than me.”

Nolan was looking down at his feet; he was just trying to process everything that had happened. He just traded being a hunter for Liam and his friends, his only friend was dead, and now he was supposed to go home with Liam and Theo who a few days ago almost killed. 

“Sure,” Theo nodded as Nolan slowly climbed into the backseat.

They drove off.

“Hey, Nolan just saying Liam has a great way of forgiving people,” Theo looked back at the anxious boy.

Liam nodded, “one request, I want to be co-captains.”

“I think I can do that,” Nolan smiled.

They threw Nolan off; then continued to the Dunbar-Geyer home. Liam basically ran inside to ask his parents. Theo had no clue how they were going to let a murderous chimera live with them, but Liam barely even had to ask before their door was open to him.

Theo pulled into the house and sighed Liam was alive, but not okay. He didn’t have his parents anymore; it would be just them living here. He slowly walked in, flashbacks of finding their bodies lying in the living room reappeared. One thing; he was glad Liam wasn’t the one to find them. It wasn’t pretty; they did care for Theo a lot. It wasn’t so easy for him either. He quickly grabbed sweatpants and a hoodie for himself, while going into Liam’s room to grab something for him. He slowly opened the door; he had closed it the night of Liam’s disappearance, refusing to see it until Liam was found. He entered his closet and grabbed a hoodie and sweatpants for the boy. He stared at them. Liam was so small now; they wouldn’t even fit him now. He knew that; he tried to find something smaller, but he was unsuccessful. It wasn’t like Liam was big, to begin with; he was muscular but still skinny and shorter than Theo. He always stole his sweatshirts, and they used to hang off the boy back then. He couldn’t imagine them now; the boy definitely lost a lot of his body weight. Theo grimaced at the bones jutting out of the boy’s body; he was now fragile, broken. He quickly went towards the door to get back to him.

“Hey, Liam,” Scott sat down beside him.

“Hey, Scott,” Liam answered quietly, thinking about his parents, Theo.

“I missed you a lot; it just wasn’t the same without you.”

“Thanks,” Liam smiled, “I was scared that I wasn’t going to see you again.”

“I wasn’t going to lose my beta,” Scott assured him.

Scott sat there as the beta began to nod off, quickly opening his eyes in a panic.

“Liam,” Scott said quietly trying to get Liam to focus on him.

“I can’t go to sleep.”

“You need to go to sleep; your body needs to heal.”

“What if this isn’t real, I will wake up.”

“Liam, you’re not dreaming; you’re here you are safe.”

“Are you sure?”

“Liam when my mom called me that Parrish brought you in; I never was more relieved in my life even more than the other two times that I thought I lost you.”

“Okay,” Liam said quietly.

“Try to get some sleep; Theo will be back soon.”

Liam finally closed his eyes.

“Hey,” Scott looked up as Theo walked in.

“Is he asleep?” Theo asked.

“I think; he was worried if he did; he might wake up and this was all a dream.”

“Oh, Liam,” Theo stared at his chest rising up and down, “they tortured him.”

Scott nodded, “I can’t believe what they did to him.”

“I always have said real pain is emotional pain,” Theo agreed, “I’ve watched a lot of people get tortured. They lose themselves becoming paranoid, manic, broken, but usually, the Dread Doctors would finish them off before they get to this point.”

“I don’t know how you did that,” Scott looked at him, “not helping the Dread Doctors, but somehow keeping part of yourself.”

“I thought I lost myself too; I just accepted I was the monster they made me. I was always a monster, say what you want they manipulated me, but I accepted it. I pushed Tara in that water; I watched them rip out her heart. I killed Josh, I killed Tracy, I dug my claws into your chest. I was ready to do it again too until Kira sent me to an everlasting torture room. Tara stole back her heart enough time to traumatize me, but even that didn’t change me. Then, Liam brought me back. He was an idiot to do it; I didn’t deserve being rescued. I deserved that night at your house; you were right I should have been sent back. Malia deserved to beat the crap out of me, but for some odd reason, Liam argued that I was useful. Even as everything went down, I had one person keeping me from going back to classic Theo. I left after the ghost riders because I was scared. I sacrificed myself for him twice; I, Theo Raeken put someone before my own ass, so I ran. I didn’t know what to think then after I got captured I was going to bring Jiang and Tierney to you, then probably run again, but then of course you guys had to come to the police station. The anuk-ite was playing on Liam’s anger; I noticed. I noticed way too much about him; I was worried about him. I played off my asshole attitude, but really I was worried he was going to get himself killed. That’s why I stayed and helped; I needed to make sure he was okay. After he asked me to help him at the zoo, I didn’t know what to think. I was impressed by his plan, also by him. I watched him break his hand to not kill Nolan, and that’s when I was determined to not let him kill anyone. He didn’t deserve guilt like that. I knocked him out and carried him to my truck. I looked down at him in my arms, and that’s when I realized I really did love him. We had a weird touching talk in the truck, then I just left him at his house as if nothing happened. I continued to just be on the lookout for him. Then after I couldn’t take away Mason’s pain in the tunnels, I realized Liam didn’t deserve me; I ran again until you called me back telling me Liam was in danger. I didn’t hesitate I would save him even if I got killed in the process. He saved me; he brought the part in me I thought I lost back.”

“I’m glad he brought it back; I missed you as my friend,” Scott smiled.

“Oh the stuff we did as kids,” Theo laughed.

“Okay, most of it was Stiles’s ideas.”

“Or that’s what we like to tell you, Mom.”

“What did you tell me?” Melissa walked in as if on cue.

“Nothing,” Scott laughed.

“It wasn’t Scott who decided to bring the frogs into the bathtub,” Theo smirked.

“I almost killed you three that day,” Melissa laughed, “and you two blamed it on Stiles.”

“Well,” Scott started.

Melissa just shook her head, “how is he?”

“Sleeping,” Scott said, “he was fighting it.”

“Good, he needs to sleep a lot,” Melissa locked over to check his vitals, “his heart rate is scaring me.”

Scott and Theo looked up as it was staying a solid 34 BPM.

“He’s going to be okay right?” Theo asked with concern.

“I think he will be in due time; if he doesn’t rush his resting.”

Liam began to stir at their voices and slowly opened his eyes. He saw the dim lights in the room and envisioned the lights in the basement.

“Theo!” he yelled, panicking. 

“Shhh, I’m here Little Wolf; it’s not a dream. You are here with me.”

Liam stared into the chimera’s eyes, “it is you.”

Theo nodded as went to grab the boy’s hand, forgetting to ask again. Theo’s touch sent panic through Liam as the boy flinched.

“Sorry,” Theo winced, “can I grab your hand?”

Liam nodded.

Scott and Melissa stared at one another over Liam’s panicking.

“Liam, do you want to put on something warmer?” Melissa asked him, watching him shake.

Liam nodded, looking down at the hospital gown he was in. They must have thrown away the t-shirt and sweatpants he was stuck in for the past forty days. He was used to be constantly freezing; the doctors didn’t give him anything for that. His skeletal frame was always cold at this point.

Liam let Theo help him up. Liam tried to stand on his own, but Theo just ended up swooping him up in his arms as Melissa followed with the IV. She left Theo to help Liam put on the outfit the chimera had brought for him. Theo looked as his hoodie hung off of him; he had to roll the sweatpants multiple times to ensure that they stayed up. Liam was sitting there looking like he was five years younger; he looked innocent, hurt. 

“Theo, I look pathetic,” Liam stated.

“Liam, most people wouldn’t survive what you’ve just went through. There’s nothing pathetic about that.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“Liam, I’m not lying to you. Yes, you might feel weak right now, but you’re still the strongest person I know.”

Liam shrugged, “thanks, I guess.”

“Hey, you’re still cute,” Theo smiled as Liam tried to stand up on his own. He felt the room spinning.

“Here,” Theo grabbed his arm, “let me help you, please.”

“I guess I don’t have a choice.”

“Just let me be a good boyfriend.”

“Fine, this is for you,” Liam finally smiled.

Scott and Melissa were still sitting there as Theo and Liam came out of the restroom. 

“Liam, can you take this for me?” Melissa handed him a pill.

“What is it?” he glared at it.

“A sedative; I need you to sleep well; I also need you not to wolf out. Your body can’t take that right now.”

Liam stared at it. What if something came after him and Liam couldn’t wake up? What if he never woke up at all? What if this was a dream by the doctors, and they were trying to poison him?

“Liam, it’s okay,” Theo cupped his hand, “it’s just a sedative.”

“Are you sure?”

“100%”

Liam reluctantly put the tablet in his mouth as Melissa handed his water. His hands were shaking so bad that Theo put it up to his mouth instead.

“Okay, we are going to go home; we’ll be back in the morning,” Melissa looked at them, “if you need anything just call us.” She stared at Liam, “can I give you a hug?”

Liam nodded as Melissa wrapped her arms around him. He was so small; he seemed so young. It wasn’t fair for him to go through that, his parents were dead; he was left alone. Liam almost began to cry thinking about his mom but held it in. She went on to hug Theo; she knew this wasn’t easy for him either. Scott stared at him arms out.

Liam nodded again and accepted the alpha’s embrace. He breathed into Scott's chest; he was glad the alpha was here. He always managed to make him feel more protected.

“Theo, do you want any other blankets or a cot? I assumed you were sleeping with Liam,” Melissa asked him.

“I think I’ll just stay beside him,” Theo smiled.

Liam nodded his head quickly, gripping onto the chimera’s hand.

“Have a goodnight and sleep,” she smiled as she and Scott walked out.


	6. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PTSD of abuse, hospitalization

Theo was pretty sure Liam couldn’t get any closer to him; the beta had managed to dig into Theo’s side. His small body was shaking; Theo wrapped his arm around him holding him as tight as he could.

“Theo?” Liam whispered.

“What Little Wolf?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too; you don’t know how worried I was about you.”

“I missed you; I think knowing I might be able to come back to you kept me alive.”  
“I will never lose you again.”

Theo listened to the boy’s heartbeat, making sure he was asleep before Theo closed his eyes. He almost expected Tara to haunt his dreams, but he stopped dreaming about her when Liam slept beside him. Theo was usually the one to wake up screaming, but he quickly opened his eyes realizing it wasn’t him.

“Liam, Li,” Theo gently rubbed his arm trying to get him to wake up.

Liam opened his eyes and screamed; panic washed over him not knowing where he was. He was shielding his body as if someone was going to hit him.

“It’s me,” Theo stared into his blue eyes.

“It’s really you?”

“It’s really me, see,” Theo grabbed his hand, “I’m alive you’re not dreaming.”

“Sorry.”

“Stop trying to apologize; Liam you’ve been through a lot.”

“I should have been stronger.”

“Liam, they tried to break you, and you didn’t break I think that’s pretty strong.”

“Maybe,” Liam looked down at his hands. He was ashamed; he knew how weak he was right now. No matter what Theo said it wasn’t going to erase the fact his parents were killed because of him; he couldn’t break out of being kidnapped. Some werewolf he was. The puppy pack looked to him as an alpha; he wasn’t an alpha. 

Theo watched his mind spiral, “hey, can I kiss you?”

“What?” Liam stared at him.

Theo smirked and pulled his face closer, touching his soft lips against Liam’s. He figured he could at least try to distract him from his thoughts.

“Thanks,” Liam nodded as they broke away.

“You’re welcome, pup.”

Liam finally gave him a small smile, “do you think everything is going to be alright?”

“If you get some sleep, it will be,” Theo forced him back down.

Liam tried to close his eyes again, haunted by his torture once again. He heard Theo fall back asleep as he stared at the ceiling. He just didn’t know what he was supposed to do now. He was safe; he knew that, but he couldn’t just escape it. 

“Morning, Liam,” Melissa said as she entered the room. The boy was staring up at the ceiling while Theo was still sleeping.

“Hi,” Liam looked at her as Theo woke up to their voices.

“Did you sleep okay?”

Liam just shrugged. Theo sat up and looked at the nurse as she checked out his vitals. He let Liam continue to lean against him.

“Can I go home?” the beta pleaded.

“Liam, your wounds aren’t healed yet, your vitals are still risky, and you are really fragile right now.” 

“Melissa, please, I promise I’ll rest.”

The nurse looked at them and sighed, “Liam, I don’t know if the doctors aren’t going to let you go.”

“Please, can you just get stuff to go home?” 

“Let me go talk to someone,” Melissa gave a small smile.

“Hey,” Theo grabbed him, “if you have to stay here, I won’t leave you.” 

“Okay,” Liam answered quietly. He needed to leave the hospital, every sound made him think of captors, he just wanted his bed. He knew the house was going to be empty even depressing with his parents’ absences, but he just wanted to get over it try to go back to normal.

Mason and Corey walked in.

“What day is it?” Liam asked. 

“Saturday, February 20th,” Mason answered, realizing Liam had lost track of any sense of time.

“Okay,” Liam nodded, taking in that he has been gone since January 11th. He wondered how much he has missed with school, lacrosse, with his friends. He just didn’t know how he was going to catch up.

Corey handed Theo a coffee and a breakfast sandwich they picked up on the way and handed Liam a cup of black coffee.

“Thanks,” Theo nodded at the couple.

“We asked Melissa what you could have, and she said you could only handle liquids right now; so, we thought you might want this,” Corey smiled.

“Thank you,” Liam smiled, feeling the warmth of the mug. He needed something warm inside of him; he was freezing. He had no clue how he was ever going to be warm again. It felt good to have something inside of him; he felt nauseous at first, but Melissa told him he needed to push through it. He really needed to start eating something; Liam couldn’t even imagine how small he was to everyone else. He felt it and saw it, but to everyone else, it was probably worse.

“How’d you sleep?” Mason asked sitting down beside the bed.

“Eh,” Liam shrugged.

“So, he didn’t?” Corey turned to Theo.

“Unfortunately, not,” Theo answered.

“I just want out of here,” Liam sighed.

“You will,” Mason assured him, “your body went through it though.”

Liam nodded, “will you catch me up in school?”

“Of course,” Mason smiled, “but first you need to get healthy; you can take it slow.”

“Thanks.”

“We all have your back,” Corey smiled.

Melissa came back in about a half-hour later with a stack of paperwork and bags of medical supplies.

“I did it,” she smiled at him. 

“I get to leave?” Liam looked at her. 

“Yes, but I have a lot of limitations for you. I have sedatives, pain medication, a refeeding program, and therapy appointments,” she looked at him, “I need you to rest, complete rest.”

“I will,” Liam told her.

“Oh, you better because I will be checking in on you, very frequently,” she smirked, “I think you also have a good boyfriend who can take care of you. I also don’t want you going to school yet; you need to regain some strength and get back into everything slowly.”

“Okay,” he smiled at her.

“Liam, I need you, to be honest, are you in any pain right now?”

“My head just hurts,” Liam answered.

“Okay, do you feel safe going to your house?”

“With Theo.”

“Okay, I’m going to let you go, but I will be over tonight,” Melissa began to unhook Liam’s IVs.

Theo got up leaning against the wall; Liam felt the emptiness leave his side. He felt a pit of emptiness in him, but he pretended like it didn’t bother him. 

“Liam, can you stand on your own?” Melissa asked.

Liam tried to pull himself up but still was too weak. Theo grabbed him before he wore himself completely out. 

“I have him,” Theo stated.

Mason and Corey followed them out, “do you need us?”

“Liam?” Theo looked at him as he put him in the passenger seat, “do you want to be alone?”

Liam nodded looking down.

“I’ll call you if we need anything,” Theo assured them.

Theo drove off towards Liam’s house, not knowing how the beta was going to react. He just continued to grip the wheel as Liam stared at the window, not saying a word. They pulled into the driveway. Theo hopped out and went around to help Liam. Liam again tried to stand on his own, but the chimera just ended up picking him up again. Theo felt the boy grip his arm with all the strength he had, shaking.

“Liam, are you okay?”

“No, I can’t go in,” Liam tried to wrestle himself out of Theo’s arms, tears forming in his eyes.

“Liam, stop; let’s sit on the porch,” Theo sat down and placed the beta beside him. Liam instantly curled into his body.

“Hey, Little Wolf,” Theo hugged him. 

“They’re gone,” Liam cried.

“I know it’s hard,” Theo kept gripping him in his arms, “we can go stay with Mason if you want; I’ll rent us out an apartment. We don’t’ have to go in.”

Liam thought about it as he calmed himself down, “no, I can do it.”

“Okay, Little Wolf,” Theo pulled him off the ground.

Theo held him up as they walked inside; Liam glanced over at the seat where his step-dad usually sat. His eyes scanned the kitchen as if his mother was going to appear. Theo watched him do this as his heartbeat began beating rapidly; he continued to grip his hand. 

Theo asked him gently, “can I take you upstairs?”

Liam nodded as Theo picked him up carrying him up the stairs. He opened the door to his bedroom, “sorry if I messed something up.”

Liam gave him a soft smile as he sat down on the bed, “Theo, you haven’t moved anything.”

“I couldn’t; I knew you would be mad if you came back and your stuff was out of place,” Theo sighed sitting down beside him, “but you’re back now that’s all that matters.”

“You really were scared.”

“More than scared Liam.”

“It’s okay; I’m here,” Liam leaned against him. 

Theo grabbed a blanket throwing it around him; he could see him shaking.

“Do you want to try something to eat?” Theo asked.

“I guess,” Liam shrugged; it wasn’t really a choice he knew it. He hasn’t eaten in forty-one days; his body was giving out. 

Theo nodded, “I’ll get you some soup.”

Liam agreed as Theo left him alone; he was alone. He looked around; it was his room. It wasn’t a dungeon in the basement. He was with Theo; this wasn’t some crazy dream. He wrapped himself in the blankets. He was safe; he was safe. He just had to keep telling himself that. Theo gave him his phone before he left; well a new phone. Everything was still there; Theo logged onto all of his social media accounts. His pictures were there. His messages were there; he noticed Theo deleted his parents’ contact numbers. He did everything he could to keep Liam safe. Nolan texted him to tell him that if he needed anything to let them know. 

Theo came back in holding two bowls one for himself, one for Liam, “here.”

“Thanks,” Liam grabbed it from him, gripping the warmth from it. 

“Want to watch something?”

“Sure,” Liam shrugged, “pick I don’t even know what there is anymore.”

That struck Theo a little bit; he turned on Avengers for Liam, since it was his favorite. He watched the boy as he began to try to eat the soup.

“Are you okay?” Theo glance over.

Liam nodded, “just nauseous.”

“Let’s just stop there,” Theo grabbed the bowl out of his hand as Liam was already beginning to get up. Theo sighed as Liam ran to the restroom. Theo watched Liam lean over, expelling whatever he had just eaten. Theo wrapped his arm around him, just rubbing his back. 

Liam collapsed on Theo’s chest on the floor, “Stay awake Little Wolf.”

Liam nodded as they just sat there until Theo finally pulled him up and got him. 

“Let’s take a shower,” Theo told him.

“I could use one," Liam nodded. Theo slipped his sweatshirt off his shoulders as Liam tried to get his by himself.

“Here let me help you,” Theo grabbed him.

“Are you joining?”

“I can’t leave you alone.” 

“Sure, Theo.” 

Theo grabbed a towel and quickly threw on clothes, while he left Liam in the heat of the water. His body was so skinny; it was scary. Theo watched as he gently rubbed the dirt and blood off the boy’s body. It hurt him; the beta was shaking the whole time. The blood that came off the boy was a reminiscence of the pain he endured. Theo couldn’t even imagine, sure he’s been through a lot, but he wasn’t tortured. He chose whatever the dread doctors gave to him; they at least fed him and gave him something to sleep on, clothes. They always gave him a decent fake family too. Theo wrapped the towel around his body and helped him get dressed. The boy was still shaking, but he was at least clean. His eyes sparkled a little more than they had been. Theo didn’t know, but he swore some of the wounds were beginning to heal.

“I miss my claws,” Liam looked down at his hands.

“They are growing back at least,” Theo grabbed his hand.

“I guess,” Liam stared at him, “I’m still a werewolf.”

“Of course, you are, let’s go lie down.”


	7. Anchored

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of physical abuse, starvation, blood/injuries, PTSD of kidnapping

Liam nodded as Theo turned the TV back on the beta curled into him and passed out from exhaustion again. Theo didn’t even know he fell asleep until he heard a knock on the door. He quickly stood up as Liam panicked that he was leaving him.

“Li, there’s someone at the door.”

“You don’t know who it is; you can’t go,” Liam was panicking. Theo grabbed his phone as it began to ring; it was Scott. 

“Hey, my mom, Nolan, Alec, and I are outside,” Scott picked up.

“Sorry, we fell asleep,” Theo smiled as Liam relaxed.

Theo got up letting Liam out of his arms, the beta panicked slightly but realized he was safe in his own bed. 

“Is he okay?” Scott asked as he opened the door as they all walked in. 

“Hello to you to McCall,” Theo smirked, “he’s just here. He’s okay; he couldn’t keep anything down. We’ve been sleeping all afternoon.

Liam crawled down the stairs, “hey.” He gripped onto the railing. Theo ran over to grab him.

“Liam, honey come over here, so I can check out how you are doing,” Melissa smiled, taking Liam from Theo’s arms.

“Okay,” Liam nodded wincing at her touch; it wasn’t Theo. 

“Sorry,” she said gently as she took him to the living room.

Scott, Nolan, Alec, and Theo began to set up dinner as Melissa was giving Liam a checkup. 

“Theo,” Nolan said gently.

“What?” Theo snapped up at him as he realized he was holding a plate for the past two minutes.

“Are you okay?” Scott asked.

“Yes. Liam’s back, the people who did this to him are in jail; I should be fine,” Theo muttered.

“But you’re not,” Nolan stated.

Theo growled, “I’m fine.”

“Your heart jumped,” Alec added on.

Theo watched as his claws slightly extended, “Fine, what if I had done some different. What if I picked him up? He would never have gone through this. He’s not fine! What if is never fine?” Theo slammed his fists down on the table. He quickly wiped away tears. 

“Hey,” Scott grabbed his shoulder.

“Scott let me go,” Theo stared at him.

“No, Theo this was hard on you too, and I want you to trust us to help you,” Scott stared at him.

Theo nodded, composing himself, and sitting down as Melissa walked in with Liam. Her face showing concern. Liam sat down beside Theo as the chimera wrapped his arm around them. They began eating trying to distract from everything, letting Alec ramble about something just to keep everyone's attention off Liam. 

Theo watched as Liam struggled to swallow the soup that Melissa brought him. His hand was shaking over the spoon. He ate about half of it before he leaned back in his seat.

“Are you okay?” Theo asked.

“Nauseous,” Liam admitted.

“You tried, Liam don’t push it,” Melissa assured him.

Liam nodded as he leaned onto Theo’s side.

“Do you want to hang out?” Liam asked the other three boys.

“Sure,” Nolan smiled. Alec agreed and Scott of course agreed. Melissa made sure he was okay then went home, leaving the boys alone.

“Movie?” Scott suggested.

Liam nodded as he slowly stood up.

“What movie?” Nolan asked.

“Onward,” Alec suggested.

“That’s literally a Disney movie,” Nolan stared at him.

“I like Disney movies,” Scott shrugged.

“Disney movie, perfect,” Theo started it, thinking it wouldn’t trigger anything within Liam.

Liam collapsed onto his side. Theo listened to his slow breathing feeling his body shaking against him. Scott watched his beta shake and threw Theo a blanket. He watched Liam flinch as something was thrown in his direction

“Liam, it was just me throwing a blanket,” Scott assured him.

Liam nodded as Theo wrapped the blanket around him.

Alec and Nolan were intertwined on the loveseat just watching them.

Liam passed out onto Theo a few minutes into the movie. Theo watched him sleep just wishing he could erase his memories. The movie had just finished, when they were all startled by Liam screaming. 

Theo knew it was a nightmare; he knew it way too well. 

“Hey, Little Wolf,” Theo held his body tight.

“Liam,” Scott said gently. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Alec asked.

“Liam,” Nolan muttered ignoring the werewolf.

The beta looked up at the chimera staring down at him. A look of worry laid across his face trying to comfort him.

Liam took in a breath and remembered where he was at, “sorry.”

“It’s okay, just grab my hand.”

Liam nodded weakly gripping his hand. Theo pulled him up in his arms.

“Hey, I think we are going to head out for the night,” Scott nodded, “if you need anything, call us.”

“Goodnight, Liam, Theo,” Nolan nodded as Alec got up giving him a wave.

Theo went to pick up the beta when he heard a low growl. 

“I can walk,” Liam muttered. 

“Okay,” Theo said calmly.

Liam went to stand up, tired of relying on everyone for everything. He felt his vision blur as his feet hit the ground. Theo quickly grabbed his hand to prevent him from falling to the ground. 

“How about you grab my hand, but I’ll let you walk.”

Liam nodded at Theo’s compromise, leaning on him as they slowly headed up the stairs. 

“Thanks,” Liam whispered as he went to change into something to sleep in. 

“Li, I know you don’t want to rely on us for everything, but you should let us help you. We all just want to make sure you are okay.”

“I know,” Liam nodded, tears beginning to fall from his eyes, “it’s just imagine everything being ripped out of you. Everything. They took everything. My parents. My strength. My drive. I just want something back, just something to show me I can bounce back.” 

Theo glanced at him sympathetically, “you did not lose everything; you’re still Liam Dunbar. Right now, you are showing that you can come back from this, and I know you will.”

“You don’t know that!” Liam argued.

“Do you want to know, how I know Liam?” Theo snapped back. 

“You just hope I do.” 

“No, I know because you never back down from a fight even if you are going to lose you still would rather go down fighting than running. You’re a fighter Liam; you survived this. You will get over this too; it’s going to take time, but if you let us just give you a hand you will be okay. I know because I love you, and I know you better than you know yourself,” Theo stated, trying to fight back tears in his own eyes. 

Liam calmed down almost instantly. Theo was the only one who was able to calm him down like that. Theo could anchor him at any time; he knew exactly how to use his anger to calm him down. He knew when to push, but he also knew where to stop to avoid making Liam explode. He had to be strong for Theo; he knew the chimera could handle himself, but Theo was different now. He would do anything for Liam. He knew seeing himself in pain, hurt the chimera the same maybe even worse. Theo was right; he would be able to get over this because for once he would do something for Theo.

“Yes, you do,” Liam nodded leaning on the chimera’s shoulder, “are you okay?” 

Theo stared at him his blue eyes staring straight into his. This was Liam, caring about him when he should be just taking care of himself. 

“I am now,” Theo smiled, “I just don’t like seeing you in pain.” The chimera reached over grabbing his hand to take away some physical pain. 

Liam winced and relaxed as Theo watched the black veins go up his arm. 

“Why didn’t you say you were in this much pain?” 

“I’m used to it,” Liam shrugged. 

Theo sighed; Liam had been in pain like this for so long he couldn’t even feel it anymore. The chimera eventually pulled away, shaking his own hand trying to release the pain. 

“Where does it hurt?”

“Everywhere,” Liam murmured, slowly taking off his sweatshirt. Theo shuttered he saw them earlier, but it still wasn’t easier seeing Liam like this. Bones jutting out at all angles, bruises along his spine, across his ribs, some of the cuts were healed, but there were still open wounds across his back. The beta started shaking Theo quickly grabbed him a long-sleeved t-shirt. 

“Hey, some of the cuts are healed,” Theo looked at him, staring at himself in the mirror. 

“I guess,” Liam nodded, throwing on the t-shirt. He sighed this shirt used to fit him perfect, sitting across his muscular shoulders, now he was drowning in it. It was hanging off his small frame, reminding him of how weak he was. 

“Process remember.”

Liam nodded, finishing changing and curling up under the blankets. Theo went to get dressed while Liam wrestled with his thoughts. Flashes of the basement, needles being poked in his skin, beaten with a metal rod, the chains digging into his skin, the coldness sinking into his body, the hunger clawing at his stomach, he felt his breathing speeding up. 

Theo heard his heart racing and quickly came out as Liam was trying to suffocate himself in the blankets to drown out his thoughts. 

“Liam!” Theo grabbed his wrists, sending the panicking wolf into a frenzy. He tried to pull them out of the chimera’s grasp, but his weakened strength was no match. He began to sob, scream in terror, feeling like he was being trapped again. Theo watched in worry as his eyes flashed yellow. The beta didn’t collapse; he was okay, weak, but he was able to shift slightly. He knew he had no clue where he was being overwhelmed by a flashback of what he’s been through.

“It’s me; it’s just me Little Wolf. Theo, your boyfriend, and your best friend. We are at your house. Liam!” Theo flashed his yellow eyes and watched as Liam’s glowing eyes met his.

Liam’s brain registered his anchor’s calls as he slowly calmed down, collapsing into Theo’s chest. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Liam whispered, realizing what he just did. 

“It was a panic attack; it wasn’t your fault,” Theo rubbed his hair.

“I could have hurt you!” Liam stared at him, “I lost control.”

“No, Liam you were in control, you shifted,” Theo smiled, “plus you know I can always take you.”

“Not always,” Liam rolled his eyes. 

“Oh, really?” Theo smirked. 

“Yes,” Liam shoved him on the bed. He winced in pain but looked down at his hands seeing his claws slightly longer than the nail beds that were left. 

“Shifting helped you heal a little bit,” Theo stated, “see you are still the beta with anger issues.”

“Guess so,” Liam smiled at him. He felt his vision begin to go blurry again as his body protested in exhaustion.

“Let’s go to bed before you pass out,” Theo said gently, “but you just showed us that you can heal.” 

“Thank you,” Liam whispered.

“For what?” 

“Being my anchor.”

“Liam, you were my anchor first; you saved my life.”

“Everyone told me it was a stupid plan.”

“I’m glad you decided not to send me back.”

“I am too,” Liam smiled as Theo wrapped his body around his, “goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Li.” 

Liam saved Theo in more ways than he would ever realize, sure getting placed in purgatory would change anyone, but it didn't change Theo as much as Liam did. Theo knew as soon as their eyes met in the sheriff’s station as Liam broke the sword. They would always be connected. He was right more than he knew at the time. He tried to fight back the feelings earlier; the dread doctors had it ingrained in him that love was weakness, but there was Liam making out with Hayden. He felt a pang of something in the pit of his stomach; he tried to tell himself it wasn’t jealousy, but it was. Liam made Theo realize he could love someone. 

Even after the kiss at the hospital, Liam continued to change Theo. 

Liam saved Theo from his nightmares every night since he moved in with him. One scream from Tara ripping out his heart, and Liam came rushing in claws out, ready to fight for the chimera’s life. Theo admitted what was happening; he figured Liam was just going to brush it off. He deserved this at least, and Liam knew that, but that wasn’t the beta’s response. 

“What are you doing?” Theo asked as Liam laid down beside him. 

“She can’t take your heart if I already have it,” Liam muttered, burying his head into Theo’s shoulder.

“I hope so,” Theo wrapped him in his arms as the beta fell asleep. 

Liam allowed Theo to forgive himself, something he never would have done with the beta.

That was the last night Theo had a nightmare, but as soon as Liam was kidnapped the nightmares returned. For forty nights, Tara terrorized his dreams, taking back her heart and even worse dropping Liam’s heart at Theo's feet. As soon as Liam was back in his arms, however, the nightmares disappeared. It was like Liam scared her away.

Theo smiled thinking about that first night Liam curled into bed with him as he watched Liam’s eyes close. 

“You’ll never know how much you mean to me,” Theo sighed, rubbing his hand across the beta’s thin back. “I only wish it was me that this happened to.” 

“Don’t say that,” Liam groaned, “you would have died anyway if you were taken instead of me.”

“Oh, Go to sleep,” Theo chuckled, kissing Liam on the cheek.


	8. Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: self-inflicted wounds, starvation, blood, talks of abuse

Theo woke up to a sticky substance on his arm, springing up from the sensation. Liam instantly felt the chimera move and opened his eyes. 

“What’s going on?” Liam muttered. He tried sitting up but for some reason felt even more tired than he did when he fell asleep. 

Theo quickly looked over him as he knew exactly what he was smelling. He slowly looked at his own arm, red smudges laid across it. It wasn’t his blood. Theo stood up, turning on the light. 

“Oh gosh, Liam,” Theo stared at him. 

“What?” Liam looked up.

“Do you not feel that?”

“What?” Liam finally looked down at his own arms, claw marks raking across them barely healing. “I couldn’t feel it. I feel it now.” 

“You clawed yourself,” Theo looked at him with concern. 

“I didn’t know I did.”

“I know,” Theo sighed, “did you have a nightmare?”

“More like memories,” Liam shrugged, “during the first week, I was there; I tried fighting back. I clawed at them, but that was when they ripped off my claws. I was trying to claw them in my head again.”

“They’ll heal,” Theo nodded in reassurance. He grabbed Liam’s hand, taking away some pain, then helped the beta on his feet. They carefully washed off the blood as Theo stared at Liam’s hand. 

“Shift,” Theo stated.

“Last time, I almost passed out.”

“I know, just for a second; I’m right here if you go to fall.”

“Okay,” Liam growled, thinking of the doctors made him angry enough to shift.

“Look,” Theo smiled pulling Liam’s hand up the boy’s face. 

“My claws are almost back,” Liam said excitedly as he carefully retracted them.

“And they work,” Theo laughed. 

“Guess so.”

Liam went to go change, while Theo heard his phone ring. He grabbed it, seeing Stiles’s name flash across the screen. 

“Stiles?’ Theo picked up confused as ever. 

“Yes, it’s me, idiot,” Stiles muttered into the phone, “are you guys awake?” 

“Yes,” Theo rolled his eyes. 

“Lydia and I want to see Liam before we go back to school today.”

“Do you want me to bring him over?” 

“No, we will come to you.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Theo asked. 

“Theo, I know you changed. We aren’t friends, but I don’t expect you to kill us.” 

“No promises, Stilinski,” Theo smirked.

“We’ll be over in a half-hour,” Stiles started hanging up the phone. 

“So, everyone came back from school for me?” Liam asked quietly. 

“Of course, they did; they care about you.”

“They stopped their lives for me.”

“They chose too,” Theo saw the guilt sinking in on the boy’s face. 

“My parents didn’t choose to die.”

“Liam, that wasn’t your fault,” Theo spoke calmly. He went to reach for Liam’s hand, but the beta swiped it away at his touch. 

“Explain to me how it wasn’t,” Liam said in a low growl.

“You didn’t choose to become a werewolf.” 

Liam’s face relaxed slightly; the guilt was still eating at him, but Theo was right. Fingers and claws could be pointed at everyone, but that wasn’t going to bring them back. 

“I guess.”

“Coffee?” Theo looked over at Liam sitting at the table.

“Yes, please.”

Liam ripped the mug out of Theo’s hand, trying to steal its warmth. 

Theo sat down beside him wrapping his arm around the shaking beta, “cold?”

Liam nodded, “sometimes I wish I had fur.”

“It’s not bad,” Theo smirked. 

“I forget you can even do that most of the time.”

“It’s a weird feeling,” Theo shrugged, “plus I’m hotter this way.”

“Oh really?”

“What you would rather me be a wolf?” 

“No, I like you this way,” Liam looked up as Theo leaned down to kiss him. They were held lips on lips when the door swung open.

“Oh my god,” Stiles screamed, “can you two just stop?”

“Stiles, you broke into my house,” Liam smirked. 

“You’re lucky I missed you,” Stiles smiled, “can I give you a hug?”

Liam nodded as the boy wrapped his arms around him tightly.

“Stiles, let him breathe!” Lydia glared at her boyfriend, “how are you doing, Theo?” 

Theo stared at the girl for a second. He didn’t even know if Lydia ever forgave him at this point; they never really talked or interacted. They both just were mutual with one another. 

“Ah, I’m doing alright,” Theo gave her a small smile, “just glad to have this one back.” 

“You are taking good care of him for us,” the banshee smiled. 

“If he ever does anything, even raises a claw against you, I will-“

“Stiles!” Lydia stopped him from finishing his sentence.

“I only bite once in a while,” Theo stated.

“I swear,” Stiles threw up his hands in frustration as Liam, Theo, and Lydia broke into laughter. 

“How are you feeling?” Lydia hugged Liam, wincing at his small frame.

“Better,” Liam nodded, “the bruises and cuts are disappearing, and my claws are almost grown back in.”

“Good,” Lydia smiled, “you know if you need us just call.” 

“You guys didn’t have to come home from school to find me.” 

“First off, everyone knows the pack cannot operate without me,” Stiles smirked, “but we wanted to. Liam, you mean a lot to us, everyone actually, and we couldn’t lose you.”

“Liam, this is what we do for each other. We aren’t just your pack; we are your family. I know if anyone else was kidnapped, you would be the first one out searching,” Lydia rubbed his back, “now you just need to take care of yourself.”

“Thank you,” Liam looked at both of them, “you will make sure you are safe too right?” 

“I’m always safe,” Stiles smirked, receiving a glare from Lydia. 

“Yes, we will be careful,” she rolled her eyes, “I know you two will be there for each other, but you know there is a lot of people who are there for you.”

“Thanks, Lydia,” Theo smiled, “I have a feeling we aren’t going let each other out of our sights for a while.”

“No weird banshee predictions?” Liam jumped in.

“Not right now,” Lydia nodded, “you know the night you were kidnapped I woke up in my dorm room screaming. I didn’t know why until we got the call from Scott the next day. Then, I had nothing; I was at a loss, but randomly I would have visions of medical supplies. It makes sense now, but it terrified me that I couldn’t find you.” 

“You tried,” Liam shrugged, “I’m fine now.”

“Liam look at me, I know you think you are okay, but I know you aren’t. You need to take time to heal, time to get your strength back, and you aren’t alone. You have your pack, and they have you,” Lydia hugged him one more time. 

“Liam, don’t ever do that to me again,” Stiles shook his head, “but you got this. You are one of the strongest people I know, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but thank you, Theo.”

“You’re welcome,” Theo said softly.

“Well, we better get going, but don’t be afraid to reach out.”

“Both of you,” Lydia added on as they left. 

“Theo, are you okay?” Liam turned and saw the chimera frozen in place. 

Theo shook his head, “I’m great actually.” 

“I told you they would forgive you eventually; you’ve changed and redeemed yourself.”

“For you, I did,” Theo wrapped his arms around the beta, “I wouldn’t have done it without you.” 

“You’ve always had it in you.”

“But you brought it out,” Theo smiled, “come on let’s try to eat something.”

Liam nodded, “my stomach hurts.” 

“Well, that’s because it's beyond empty. Melissa said it was going to be hard.” 

“I wish it wouldn’t,” Liam grumbled as Theo began to make toast. He coated his with peanut butter and bananas, while he gave Liam just plain, praying this would be the first solid food he ate. 

“Slow,” Theo set down the plate in front of him.

Liam nodded, feeling nauseous from the smell of the bread in front of him. He took a small bite as Theo’s eyes watched him. 

“Mason and Corey want to come over; is that okay?” Theo asked trying to distract him from eating. 

“Of course,” Liam agreed, fighting with the one piece of toast, “Theo, I don’t know if I can do this.” 

“Li, you have to, just finish the one piece for now.” 

Liam fought back his nausea as he finished the piece. He was shaking badly by the time he was done. Theo wrapped his arms around him as the boy’s eyes began to water. 

“It hurts,” Liam cried into Theo’s side. 

Theo leaned down and kissed his forehead, “I know, Little Wolf.”

As soon as Liam relaxed a little bit, Theo led him over to the couch to sit down. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped him around the beta’s shaking shoulders before sliding down beside him. 

“We are going to the hospital later to have you checked out,” Theo sighed. 

Liam’s heart began to race, “we c-can’t go.”

“Li look at me, I know you don’t trust doctors, but we will be going to see Melissa, and I am not going to leave your side.” 

Liam tried to focus on the chimera as panic ran through his body. He began to struggle to breathe as his body was shaking. 

Theo grabbed his hand to stop the shaking, “Okay, keep looking at me, you are safe, I am here, you are strong.”

Liam eventually slowed his heart rate, collapsing into Theo’s chest as the chimera wrapped his arms around him tighter. A few minutes later there were several knocks on the door; Liam sprung up in a panic. 

“It’s Mason and Corey,” Theo looked at him, “try to smell them.” 

Liam took in a deep breath and tried to find their scents. He quickly noticed them and let Theo get off the couch to let them in. 

“How is he?” Mason immediately asked as the door opened. 

“He’s okay, he is right here,” Theo shrugged as the couple almost ran him over. 

“Hey,” Liam looked up at his friends. 

“How are you feeling today?” Mason sat down across from him, Corey following suit.

“Better, the wounds are almost healed,” Liam smiled. 

“Good,” Mason nodded, knowing he wasn’t okay. He could read Liam better than anyone except maybe Theo. 

Theo returned to his side as the beta laid back down onto his shoulder. 

“Want to play?” Mason pulled out the controllers. 

“Sure,” Liam agreed as Mason and Corey got things set up. 

Liam watched for a while; he couldn’t remember the last video game he actually played, but it was nice having his friends back. Theo offered him a controller at one point, and the beta accepted. He noticed easily his reactions were slower than usual. He even got tired from just doing that; his hands were shaking by the end of a few rounds. He tossed the controller over to Corey who stared at him with concern. 

“I just haven’t got back my strength,” Liam shrugged. 

“It is going to take time, Liam,” Corey stared at him, “you’ll get it back.”

Liam nodded, closing his eyes on the chimera. 

“Hey, stay awake,” Theo rubbed his shoulder. 

“Do you guys want to get lunch?” Mason suggested. 

“Yes, we need to,” Theo agreed, staring at the shaking beta, “I can cook.” 

“We could go out to eat,” Liam shrugged. 

“Liam, I don’t know if you-“ Theo looked at him as if he had just kicked a puppy, “You want to?”

Liam nodded, “I’m tired of staying in here.”

“I mean we can go for a walk after we eat,” Corey suggested.

“I’ll be fine, let’s go,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Okay,” Theo shrugged with Mason as he grabbed his truck keys.

They pulled into a small restaurant on the outskirts of Beacon Hills. They have gone here a lot of times; it was actually the first place Liam took Theo for a “date.”

Theo looked over at him as he put his truck in park and smiled thinking of it.

“What don’t you want food?” Liam rolled his eyes. 

“I said I was hungry, and you have a kitchen I thought you would give me food from your cupboard,” Theo growled. 

“What are you afraid of restaurants?”

“No, it’s just-“

“Are you ashamed to be with me?” Liam looked over.

Theo laughed out loud, “Liam if anyone should be ashamed it’s you. I attempted to destroy your pack, and you drug me into their pack meeting last week.” 

“I’m not ashamed, and I kind of like the glares,” Liam stated, “but why don’t you want to go out to eat?”

“I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since I have been ten, and I’ve never been on a date where I haven’t killed my date afterward,” Theo sighed. 

“Theo, you deserve to make some new memories.”

“Only if they are with you,” Theo smiled. 

Mason and Corey climbed out of the backseat first as Liam stared at the building. 

“Are you sure you are up to this?” Theo asked reaching over to hold his hand. 

“I think,” Liam nodded, “I have to get back into reality at some point.”

“We can leave anytime that you need to.”

“Okay,” Liam opened the door and jumped out. 

The four boys walked in and were greeted by the host. She glanced at them for a moment, before asking them how many. Her eyes focusing on Liam. Liam sighed; she was from school. She actually used to be friends with Hayden. He realized everyone from school was going to be shocked to see him. Sure, the news announced that he was found after there were missing posters up of him all over the town, but seeing him in person was different. He looked like a beaten puppy, and people wouldn’t know to feel bad for him or just ignore it. 

They took a seat at a booth. Theo took off his jacket and laid it on Liam’s shoulder, watching the boy shivering at the temperature of the room. An older waitress came over to get drink orders. 

“Coffee please,” Liam muttered. 

“Are you okay?” Mason looked over at him shaking after she walked away. 

“I’m just cold; I haven’t been able to get warm.”

“How about you get soup?” Theo suggested, letting Liam lean into him as much as possible. 

The beta nodded as the waitress came back. 

The other three ordered as Liam finally went last. 

“Can I just have whatever soup you have?”

“Chicken noodle?”

“Yes, please,” Liam nodded. 

“Bowl or cup?”

“Cup,” Liam answered, barely knowing if he could eat that. 

“Is that all you want, sweetie?”

“Yes,” Liam glared at her. 

“If you want anything else just let me know.”

Liam nodded as she left. Theo could smell his anger rising. 

“Hey, she was just being nice.”

“She was concerned. I look weak, and people are going to treat me like I am.”

“You aren’t weak, and everyone knows that,” Theo assured him. 

“I guess,” Liam shrugged, “what are you guys doing today?”

“Hanging out with my best friend,” Mason smiled. 

“We can have Nolan and Alec over tonight too,” Theo suggested, “if you are up to it?”

“Yeah, I think we should.”

“Especially before Nolan breaks my phone asking how you are,” Theo laughed. 

“I just wish I could go to school with you guys on Monday,” Liam sighed. 

“You will eventually,” Corey told him, “honestly, nothing happens anyway. We can catch you up on work next week though.”

“Okay,” Liam agreed, “I’m behind half of the time when I’m in school.”

“I think we can get you excused from a lot of stuff,” Mason smiled, “Plus you have a genius best friend who can help.”

“And a genius boyfriend,” Theo smirked. 

“Who is that?” Liam answered. 

“You know what, Little Wolf.”

“No fighting in public,” Mason rolled his eyes. 

“He just doesn’t want everyone to see Theo lose too bad,” Corey smiled. 

“I swear I should have left you dead.”

“But you picked me,” Corey smirked. 

“I need new friends.”

“I think we are your only hope,” Mason nodded. 

“I know I’m your only option for a boyfriend.”

“No one is ever on my side,” Theo sighed.

Everyone laughed as their food arrived. The waitress took another glance at Liam before asking them if they needed anything else. She walked away as Liam slowly picked up his spoon. 

“Slowly,” Theo said.

Liam nodded as he put the first spoonful in his mouth; he looked around at his friend, eating food normally. He could do this; his mind flashed to being starved. The hunger consuming his mind, then the weakness, the inability to fight back, the inability to do anything other than sleep and wince in pain until the doctors would come back for another round of torture. 

“Liam?” Mason’s voice brought him back to reality. 

He shook his head and looked at all three of them staring at him. He looked down and noticed he bent his spoon in half. 

“Sorry, uh memory.”

“It’s okay,” Theo handed him his spoon instead, “just focus on me.”

Liam put another bite in his mouth and noticed they were almost done already. He must have been staring for minutes, no wonder they looked worried. He ate about half of it before he started getting sick; he put his spoon down and leaned back on the chimera.

The waitress came back to get them their bills, “how are we splitting?”

“I have this one,” Theo looked up and smiled.

“We are together,” Mason pointed over at Corey. 

“I’ll be right back,” she smiled. 

“Hey, look at me,” Theo stared at Liam, “deep breaths.”

Liam nodded trying to keep the soup down. The waitress came back, looking more concerned, but just set down the checks. 

Theo picked up his and Liam’s and noticed only his was on it. He laid down the money along with Mason and Corey’s as the waitress came right back. 

“Excuse me, but his wasn’t on it,” Theo looked at her. 

“Don’t worry about it,” she smiled and walked away. 

“Maybe I should look like death more often,” Liam sighed. 

“I think there are other ways to get your food paid for,” Theo shook his head as they went to leave. He grabbed the beta’s hand right away to make sure he didn’t fall up. The girl at the front stared at them again, and Liam saw her grab her phone. He was sure she just told half the school about seeing him. 

“Do you two mind going to the hospital with us?” Theo asked Mason and Corey.  
“Why?” Mason asked in a panic.

“Melissa just wants to do a follow up with Liam.”

“Of course not,” Mason nodded relieved that Liam wasn’t having some medical emergency. 

“Do you think we should have a funeral for my parents?” Liam asked out of nowhere.

“Liam, I don’t think they would want that. I think they would want you to live on,” Theo looked over at him.

“They already had a funeral for them; didn’t they?”

“We tried to have them wait, but you know your aunt,” Mason sighed. 

“It’s okay,” Liam said quietly. 

“Hey, what if we got some flowers and took them to their graves?” Theo suggested. 

“I would like that,” Liam nodded, “you’ll go with me right?”

“Of course,” Theo answered, shuttering at the thought of it. He hated the cemetery; he always visited Tara’s grave once a year. He would sit there and try to apologize, but he knew it would never be enough to make up for what he did. He would go to the cemetery with Liam though; he could sacrifice this for him.


	9. Strengthening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: talks of abuse/torture, starvation, feeding tube (NG tube), hospital scene, blood

They pulled into the hospital as Liam began to panic. His mind raced to the needles, the blood being pulled out of his body, the weird poisons he was injected with. 

“Liam,” Theo said calmly as Liam looked up eyes glowing yellow, newly grown back claws out, “It’s me, you are safe, you are okay, and I will not leave your side.” 

Liam stared at the chimera as Theo flashed his yellow eyes. He leaned back taking in a breath, watching his claws retract and eyes return to normal. His head instantly felt dizzy; he still couldn’t handle shifting. 

“Just stay here for a moment,” Theo held his hand as he had Mason and Corey get Melissa. Liam leaned back in the seat closing his eyes, trying to regain any form of strength. 

“I said Melissa,” Theo muttered as they managed to find Parrish instead.

“I was questioning a man from a car accident earlier when these two ran into me,” Parrish smiled at the chimera. 

“He blacked out,” Theo looked at them. 

“Theo grab him, so he doesn’t fall out the door when I open it,” Parrish looked at him. 

Theo gripped his hand tight so the hellhound could open the door. Parrish began checking Liam’s pulse, looking at the boy. He looked better than when he found him, but he still looked awful. 

“He’s been trying to rest,” Theo looked up at him. 

“He was tortured for forty days, poisoned, and starved,” Parrish stared at him, “He’s going to need a lot of time to recover completely. Let’s get him inside, so Melissa can see if there is anything we can do to help him.”

The hellhound gently picked up Liam’s limp body as Theo got out. The chimera took him out of Parrish’s hands as he began to slowly open his eyes. 

“Theo?” he looked up as they were walking into the hospital.

“I’m here, you just blacked out.”

Liam nodded and closed his eyes still feeling drained. Mason and Corey went to find the nurse while Theo and Parrish sat with Liam.

The beta slowly opened his eyes, “Parrish?”

“Hey,” the hellhound smiled, “I’m avoiding going back to the station.”

“Thank you,” Liam nodded.

“No problem, I just want to make sure you are okay.”

“I’m just weak.”

“No, you just need some time to rest,” the deputy assured him. 

Mason and Corey came back with Melissa as Parrish got up to go back to work. 

“If you guys need anything, let me know,” the hellhound nodded, “I live alone and have an extra room if you just need a night somewhere else.”

“Thanks,” Theo smiled at him.

“How are you feeling today?” Melissa knelt to Liam’s level.

“Just weak,” Liam shrugged. 

“Okay, let’s get you a room to get you checked out.”  
Mason and Corey stayed in the waiting room as Theo and Liam went back to an examination room.

Melissa began looking at his wounds, mostly healed, she noticed the claw marks instantly. 

“Well, your wounds are pretty much completely healed, but what’s going on with these?”

“I had a nightmare and clawed myself by accident.”

“Oh, Liam,” she sighed, “well, it looks like they are clean, but just make sure they do not get infected.” She began taking his pulse and blood pressure. Theo watched her face get more and more concerned. 

“Liam, are you just cold, or do you feel like you are going to pass out again?”

“Both,” Liam said softly, leaning on Theo. 

“What is happening to him?” Theo looked at Melissa, hearing Liam’s heart speed up rapidly. 

“Liam, Theo is going to get you to lay down.”

Liam nodded as Theo took him in his arms and laid him down as Melissa continued to check his pulse as he blacked out again. 

“Is he okay?” Theo asked. 

“His heart rate sped up too quickly,” Melissa looked at him, “it could have been from a various number of things, anxiety from being in the hospital, something that was injected in him, the starvation. We will just have to make sure it doesn’t happen again, or there might be something wrong with his heart.” 

“He’s a werewolf that shouldn’t be able to happen,” Theo looked at her in a panic.

“I know, Theo, but we don’t know what they did to him and currently he still isn’t healing as he should be. Has he been able to eat?”

“Not a lot,” Theo admitted, “he’s really cold all the time and tired. He’s been having nightmares of everything too.”

“I figured,” Melissa sighed, brushing Liam’s hair out of his face, “I think we are going to have to give him an NG tube. He has to get some strength back and heal.”

“He’s going to hate that.”

“It’s just until he can eat normally.”

Theo nodded, “He gets random bursts of pain sometimes.”  
“It’s a trauma response. His body is going to mimic what pain he felt when he has memories of what he’s been through. I think he needs to talk to a therapist.”

“He won’t.”

“Can you try to convince him please?”

The chimera nodded as Liam woke up once again this time in a panic. If he had his normal strength, Theo would have been on the floor. The beta sprung up and went to jump up when Theo wrapped him in his arms until he calmed down. 

“Hey, hey, it’s me, you are safe.”

Liam breathed slowly, realizing where he was. 

“Liam look at me,” Melissa said gently, “you are under my care.” 

Liam nodded, “sorry, I didn’t know where I was.”

“It’s okay,” Melissa smiled.

“Am I okay?” 

“You are getting there,” the nurse nodded, “your body is just playing catch up. I do need to give you an NG tube though, just until you can eat normally.”

“I-I can’t,” Liam stared at her. 

“Liam, you need to just for a little bit.”

Theo stared at him, “can you do it for me?”

“I guess,” Liam looked down. 

“Li, I know you are scared, but it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just to help you.”

“It’s simple; I’ll show you how to do it,” Melissa agreed, walking out to get supplies. 

Scott walked in a moment later just checking in or them, “Hey, Liam, Theo.” 

“Hi, Scott,” Theo nodded as the alpha sat down beside Liam. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Liam shrugged. 

“You are healing,” Scott told his beta, “I’m going back to school tomorrow I was wondering if I could drive you home.” 

Liam looked up at Theo; it would be the first time he had left the chimera’s side since being found. He had to do this. He couldn’t be attached to Theo all the time. Scott was his alpha, his older brother, he cared about him, protected him, saved his life so many times. He was safe with him.

“I can just come over with you two,” Scott suggested. 

“No, I’ll go with you,” Liam finally decided. 

“Mason, Corey, and I will get Alec and Nolan and go home. Okay?” Theo gripped his hand. 

Liam nodded as Melissa came back in. 

“Alrighty, Liam can you hold on to Theo for me.” 

Liam was already shaking; there was no medical procedure to be done. It was simple, a deep breath then the tube would be placed down his nostril. His mind flashed to his tortures, needle after needle shoved in his skin. Blood being poured out of him. Electric shock being sent through his body, the metal pipe being beaten against his skin. It was like he was there again. Then, he saw through blurry vision, Melissa. His mom and step-dad were dead because of him. The image was ingrained in his brain. He did that, and he deserved what he got. He couldn’t stop his thoughts from racing. He felt his heart rate speeding up as he lost focus. He felt his vision go black as Theo called his name. 

“Liam,” Scott said calmly as the beta reopened his eyes. 

Liam looked up realizing he was safe. Theo was sitting beside him, his hand still locked in his. Melissa was hovering over him with Scott. He felt the tube in his nose and figured they did it while he was out. 

“Don’t tug on it,” Melissa stared at him, “are you okay?”

“I think. How long was I out?”

“Thirty minutes,” Theo informed him. 

“Sorry,” Liam muttered, mind flashing to his parents again. He remembered passing out one day in their living room. He got hit in the head in lacrosse and had a pretty decent concussion. He woke up with his mom sitting beside him.

“How long was I out?” a younger Liam groaned, feeling the bump on his head. 

“Thirty minutes,” his mom said calmly.

Liam’s focus returned to Theo, Scott, and Melissa looking at him with concern. He needed a break. He couldn’t face home tonight even with Theo he saw them everywhere. 

“Is Mason and Corey out there?”

“No, we are here,” Mason smiled as Corey and he became visible, “we didn’t want to overwhelm you when you woke up.”

“Can we go to your house tonight?” 

“Of course,” his best friend smiled, “my parents are home and wanted to see you. Is that okay?”

Liam nodded, “I miss them.”

Mason sighed, not knowing if that was more directed at his parents or Liam’s own.

Theo pulled him up, “I will get you clothes and everything, and you can meet us there.” 

Liam nodded as the chimera slowly stood up. They left leaving Liam with the two McCall’s.

“Liam, I know a lot is going on right now, but if you don’t want to stay in that house. You do not have to,” Melissa stated, “Scott’s room will be open tomorrow; both of you are welcome.”

“I just need a break for a night.” 

“Okay, you can always come over,” she nodded, “Theo has your whole treatment plan and supplies if you need anything come back in.”

“Thank you, Melissa.”

“You’re welcome,” she smiled at the younger boy, “can I give you a hug?”

He nodded as the woman wrapped his arms around him; the beta felt tears run down his face. 

“You can always come to me,” Melissa nodded letting go.

Liam finally managed to smile as Scott helped him to his feet. The alpha watched him carefully walk out each step fighting back the dizziness in his head. 

Scott looked over at him as they finally climbed in the jeep, “Liam, I know none of us can fix what happened, but I am going to do everything I can to make it better. You can talk to me about anything, just call, if you need me I will drive home right away. I-“

“Scott,” Liam looked over and touched his hand gripping on the steering wheel, “it’s okay.”

“I’m sorry,” Scott shook his head, realizing how shaken he was, “I thought I lost you. It felt like a part of me was gone. You’re my beta, and I am supposed to protect you.”

“I’m going to be okay.”

“Of course, you are,” Scott smiled, “you are the strongest person I know, but I’m still going to worry about you it’s my job.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I know, but please don’t worry about anything except yourself right now.”

“It’s Beacon Hills, and you left me in charge.”

“You have enough help you can take some time to rest.”

“What if something happens?” Liam asked feeling his anger rising.

“We will stop it, but I don’t want you taking on things alone.”

“I guess,” Liam nodded, feeling weak again. 

“Liam, you are capable of more things than most of us, but you are still a teenager. You have been through more than most of us can even imagine. I want you to take it easy for a little bit; you deserve it.”

Liam’s mind raced to his parents’ deaths, Brett and Lori’s death, Gabe’s death, Hayden leaving, almost killing Scott, all the awful things he did with his IED, his parents’ divorce. 

“I don’t deserve it.”

“You do,” Scott restated firmly, “please don’t think you deserved that.”

“Okay,” Liam nodded. 

Scott sighed and pulled out of the parking lot. 

“Are the hunters back?” Liam whispered.

“No,” Scott answered too quickly for Liam’s liking.

“Are you going to be safe at school alone?”

Scott smiled at Liam’s concern for him, “I’m taking Malia with me this semester. Do you want to say goodbye to her? She’s been worried about you.”

“Sure,” Liam nodded. 

“She’s at Peter’s apartment; do you know he was even concerned about you?”

“Peter?”

“He helped look for you and when I was over here last night; he was asking about you.”

“Weird.”

“You mean a lot to everyone even Peter can respect your strength.”

They pulled into the apartment complex after Scott texted Malia that they were coming over. She met them at the door.

“Liam!” Malia looked at him, instantly wrapping him in her arms. 

Liam flinched but settled into the werecoyote’s grasp.

“Hi,” Liam smiled as she finally let go.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Getting there.”

“Hey kid,” Peter walked over. 

“Hi, Peter,” Liam looked up at the werewolf.

“You had everyone freaking out,” Peter nodded.

“I guess I did.”

“If anyone comes after you again, we will get them,” Malia nodded looking at her father who agreed. 

“Hopefully that doesn’t happen,” Scott added on.

“What’s that?” Malia pointed towards his feeding tube.

“It’s to help him eat, Malia,” Peter rolled his eyes, “the kid is about three times smaller than he already was, and he was small, to begin with.” 

“It’s temporary just until he can eat normally,” Scott explained it to his girlfriend. 

“Is it that bad?” Liam asked. 

“No, it’s going to help you heal,” Scott looked at him. 

They talked for a few more minutes until Scott decided to take Liam back before the beta fell over. 

“Call me if you need anything, and I will rip out someone’s throat for you,” Malia hugged him once more. 

“If you need my help, I will be there too,” Peter admitted. 

“Thank you,” Liam said softly. 

They drove off towards Mason's house. Scott looked over as they pulled in. 

“Remember, you aren’t in this alone, you are strong, and you have people who love you. I’m only two hours away,” Scott hugged his beta tightly. 

“Thank you, Scott,” Liam nodded as he finally got out after the alpha let him go. 

“Take care of yourself!” Scott yelled out the window.

“Thanks, dad,” Liam muttered as Scott laughed.


	10. Normalizaiton

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: self-harm, blood, food issues, mentions of past abuse, dream sequence with character death, suicidal thoughts

Liam walked as fast as he could into the house; he knew Scott was watching him until he got safely inside, but he just hated the fact that he was alone. He wasn’t alone; his best friends and boyfriend were inside. He didn’t know what he was going to do; he couldn’t keep Theo with him forever. The chimera had to start going to work again, and eventually, Liam would return to school. He was going to have to relearn how to be without him for time. 

He slowly knocked on the door as Mrs. Hewitt opened it; she glanced down at him and smiled. She was basically his second mom throughout his entire childhood; she was a great lady and always took care of Liam. 

“Liam!” she smiled, “can I hug you?” 

“Yes,” the beta nodded as the woman wrapped him in her embrace. He froze thinking of his mom with her; they were best friends as much as Mason and he were. 

“Liam, honey are you okay?” 

“I miss her,” Liam admitted, tears streaming down his face. 

“I do too, I do too,” she spoke calmly, “here.” She handed him a tissue and started some hot water for hot chocolate, Liam’s favorite as a kid. “The boys are downstairs; I’m sure your boyfriend heard you walk in. He loves you, Liam.” 

“That he does,” Liam nodded, getting himself calmed down. 

“Your friends all care about you a lot, and we missed having you around. You know you two can always stay here.” 

“Thank you, I’m trying to get used to being at home, but it’s hard.” 

“It’s not going to be easy, but you seem to be handling it pretty well with everything. I don’t think any boy your age would be as strong as you are right now.” 

“Maybe,” Liam shrugged. 

“Mason said you are waiting at least a week for school if Theo needs to go to work. You can come to hang with me on days I’m off or Sam is off on some days too.”

“I might,” Liam nodded.

“I’m going to call the rest of them up for hot chocolate.” 

“I can go get them,” Liam suggested. 

“How about you just get settled?”

Liam smiled at the woman as he heard Theo coming up the stairs first. He was probably awaiting Liam’s calls for him. This was the longest he had been without him since getting rescued. Theo was his anchor in more ways than one. 

“Feeling better?” Theo sat down beside him on the couch. 

“Yepp,” Liam nodded, “I missed you.” 

“It’s been an hour and a half, Little Wolf,” Theo chuckled. 

“It felt longer.” 

Theo smiled slightly as Nolan handed them both a mug. The boy was way too excited to see Liam today.

“Hey, Nolan,” Liam looked up. 

“Better day?” 

“A lot,” Liam smiled.

“What do you want to do?” Mason asked taking a seat. 

“We should play a game,” Liam suggested. 

“As long as you don’t break the board in half like last time,” Corey shook his head.

“He broke a board in half?” Alec questioned them. 

“I beat him in monopoly,” Theo smirked. 

“You did not! You cheated.”

“Making deals with Mason over you is not cheating.”

“He’s my best friend, and you are my boyfriend.”

“And you are a sore loser.” 

“Uno?” Corey stopped their bickering, “there’s no board.”

“Sí,” Liam smiled. 

Twenty minutes later, they were still playing the same game. Mason had called uno three times, but either Corey or Liam blocked him each time. Theo had a half the stack after Liam decided to give him every draw 4 and 2 in the entire game. Nolan had the other half because the boy couldn’t seem to find a yellow card. Alec kept on forgetting to call Uno. Liam was too busy blocking everyone else to even care about his own hand, when finally, Corey won. 

“Why does Corey win most of the time?” Alec whined. 

“Because you guys try to take out one another and forget about the game,” the chameleon laughed. 

“I mean he’s not wrong,” Nolan sighed throwing down his cards, completely green and blue. 

“How do you manage to do that every time?” Theo stared at him. 

“I don’t have good luck.” 

Liam smiled at his friends; everything seemed like one of their usual puppy pack nights. Maybe, everything would be back to normal soon. 

They ordered pizza which Liam couldn’t necessarily eat, so Theo set up the stupid supplement. They tried to watch a movie to distract Liam from it, but it was uncomfortable. Melissa warned them it might make him sick the first couple of times before he got used to it, and she was right. Theo was sitting next to Liam on the bathroom floor for at least 10 minutes when he coughed up the entire supplement.

Liam looked up finally, exhausted and dizzy, “I don’t like that.” 

“Well, you need it,” Theo sighed, wiping off his face and washing his hands, “Mason’s mom is going to get you some electrolyte powder to get something in you.” 

“Okay,” Liam nodded, “I thought I would be fine by now.” 

“Liam, we don’t know what they did to you fully. We can guess, but nobody knows. You were tortured, injected with strange supplements, and your body can only heal so fast.”

“I guess,” Liam sighed as Theo picked him up to carry him back down the stairs. 

“Here,” Mrs. Hewitt handed him a glass, “I called Melissa too, and if you can try something else she suggested some broth, so I brought you some in a mug. Don’t push yourself too much though. I’ll be right upstairs if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Liam nodded softly at her. 

“Is Alec asleep?” Theo looked over at Nolan trapped under the werewolf. 

“On my legs, I can’t move them,” Nolan muttered, “he does this all the time.”

They all laughed at Nolan’s unfortunate situation as Mason distributed blankets to them. Alec and Nolan took the floor since they were already down there. Corey and Mason took the pull-out bed, while Theo and Liam were curled together on the futon. Mason put continued the movie as they all tried to get some sleep. 

“Liam, wake up,” a woman called out. 

Liam groaned and opened his eyes; he felt like he couldn’t move. He panicked seeing the basement he was trapped in again. 

“You thought you got away,” the nurse cackled, “but we aren’t done yet.” 

“Where are my friends?”

“Your friends?” she laughed again as the man came back in carrying two bodies. 

Theo’s lifeless form was thrown down along with Nolan’s. 

“How?” Liam looked up tears in his eyes.

“You really thought; you could lock us up?” 

“A quick break-in to the Hewitt’s, killing the entire family,” the man threw down pictures of Mason and his parents dead to the world. 

“The chameleon got away, but the other werewolf we thought we could start some experiments on him as well.” 

“He only lasted three days compared to you,” he smirked, lying down a picture of Alec’s torn apart body. 

“Now, your blood proved to be useful in ways we didn’t expect. The chameleon tried to rescue you, but we injected him with your blood. It killed him, Liam; you killed him,” she pulled a picture of Corey’s dead figure. 

“Just kill me,” Liam muttered, tears streaming down his face. 

“Liam, why don’t you just do it yourself?” 

“Liam! Liam! Grab his other hand, Corey!” Theo screamed, “look at me Liam; you have to wake up.”

“I’m going to grab, my mom and some gauze, come on Nolan,” Mason stared at the hunter as they went running up the stairs. 

“Theo,” Liam opened his eyes, feeling pain and dizziness all of sudden.

“I’m here, please don’t move.” 

“Corey, Alec?” Liam noticed they were holding down his arm and leg. Theo had a blanket across his neck, weird.

“Just keep focusing on my eyes,” Theo spoke calmly, “it was just a nightmare. Do not fall asleep.” 

Liam stared at them all in panic, when he became more focused on the pain around his neck. He finally noticed he felt blood on his claws. He felt his vision get blurry. 

“Liam, tell me about your dream; don’t fall asleep.” 

“The nurse and her partner-“ Liam started as Mason, Nolan, and both of Mason’s parents came down the stairs. 

“Theo, did you get the bleeding to stop?” she looked at him. 

“I don’t think so,” the chimera muttered.   
“Okay, you are going to have to lift this blanket off him slowly,” Mr. Hewitt said. 

Theo followed his command as Mason and his mom began wrapping the gauze around his neck. 

“He’s going to need stitches now,” she looked at the chimera. 

“I’m going to call Melissa,” Alec nodded. 

The werewolf came back and said she would be over in a few with Chris and Scott. 

“Liam, stay awake,” Theo whispered. 

The beta was still confused about what had happened. His neck was bleeding, but he didn’t understand what happened. 

Melissa, Argent, and Scott ran down the stairs as soon as they arrived. Scott grabbed Liam’s other hand the way Theo was holding on to him while Argent slowly took the gauze off. Melissa began stitching instantly as Liam cried through the whole thing. 

“Liam, look at me it’s Melissa; she isn’t going to hurt you.” 

Liam hated needles since he’s been a kid, but now he was terrified of them. 

“You have to stay still,” Scott nodded, holding him down tighter. 

Alec and Corey both held down his legs once again to stop all movements until the nurse finally finished. 

“Okay, he should be okay. Those will dissolve on their own.” 

“Did he lose too much blood?” Mason asked looking at the blood over everything.

“He’s still conscious,” Melissa stared at him, taking his pulse, “I’m hoping his healing factor might start activating again.” 

Liam was awake but in a trance. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he heard voices. He was terrified, the needle at his neck, his throat gashed open, his nightmare, it was all too much. He was having a panic attack. Theo knew it too; Liam had panic attacks even before this, some were the normal shaking, unable to move, but some were silent, unable to function, unaware of everything going on around him. 

“Hey, Little Wolf,” Theo rubbed his hand gently, “I’m here, you are safe, I’m not leaving.” 

Nolan looked up at him, “panic attack?”

The chimera nodded, “just talk quietly to him.”   
“Liam, it’s Nolan, I’m here too; everyone is here. You are safe with us.”

“Nightmare?” Melissa asked Mason and Corey who were standing on the side. 

“Luckily, Theo woke up. We didn’t know he was doing it until he felt blood.” 

“How do we stop this?” Corey stared at the nurse, “he tried to kill himself in his sleep.”

“I think someone is going to have to watch him.”

“Theo can’t watch him while he is trying to sleep,” Scott argued. 

“I have something that can help,” Argent suggested, “movement sensors, Liam can wear them while he sleeps, and if he starts moving a lot they will go off loud enough to wake Theo up.” 

“Theo, is that okay with you honey if not we can figure something else out?” Mrs. Hewitt asked. 

“That will work,” Theo said softly, still trying to get Liam to calm down. The beta finally took in a breath and tried sitting up. 

“Liam, how about you let Nolan and Theo pick you up?” Melissa said calmly. 

He nodded as they swung him in an upright position. 

“Can you focus on me?” Scott asked. 

“Yes,” Liam finally spoke. 

“Okay, Liam can you tell us about your nightmare?” Melissa asked softly, “do you want everyone to step about for a few moments?”

“They can stay,” Liam nodded, “the nurse and her partner-uh they broke in,” the beta began to cry in between fragments.

“Li, if it gets to be too much stop,” Theo held his hand tighter.

“They killed Mason and his parents, Nolan and Theo tried to stop them, but they killed them too. Corey tried to rescue Alec and me, but then they captured him and injected him with my blood. It killed him; I killed him. They experimented on Alec, but they killed him. I told them to kill me, and they said do it yourself.” 

Everyone was staring at the beta shaken now. Liam was sobbing into Theo’s chest who was wrapping his arms around him so tight. This was torture; Liam was still being tortured in his head. The beta reacted by trying to claw out his throat in real life. This wasn’t good.

“Liam, it was just a dream,” Argent spoke first, “it’s not going to come true. The nurse and her partner are miles away locked up in a cell and are never going to walk free. Your friends and pack will protect you, and you are strong. We all know you can defend yourself.” 

Liam nodded, softly. 

“Melissa, a word?” Mason’s parents walked off with Argent and Melissa while the boys got Liam calmed down. 

“Should he be alone?” Mrs. Hewitt looked at the nurse. 

“No,” she shook her head, “I knew it was going to be bad, but it’s getting worse.” 

“Theo and he can live here,” Mr. Hewitt suggested. 

“We also offered our house, but he refused,” Argent sighed. 

“He probably doesn’t want to be worried over, but Theo’s not much older, and I don’t want him taking care of him completely,” Melissa nodded.

“I think Parrish might be our best option,” Argent nodded, “he wouldn’t feel like he is being coddled, but the deputy could help Theo take care of him.” 

“He’s the deputy hellhound right?” Mrs. Hewitt looked at him. 

“He’s a good man,” Argent nodded, “let’s talk to him tomorrow. The boys need some more sleep tonight; it’s almost 3 AM.”

Melissa nodded, “he should be good tonight, and I have a feeling he will be too exhausted to have another nightmare.” 

“Thank you, Melissa, for coming over. Liam is like a son to me, and I can’t let anything happen to him. His mother was my best friend; I couldn’t do that to her.” 

“Of course,” she smiled at the woman.

“Ready to get cleaned up?” Mrs. Hewitt came back in.

Liam nodded as Scott hugged him and said goodbye. Argent and Melissa pulled aside Theo to talk about living with Parrish before saying goodbye to the beta as well. 

As soon as they left, Theo picked up Liam and followed Mrs. Hewitt to the bathroom to get the blood off them while the other four boys cleaned off the futon. 

“Theo, you two are coated in blood; why don’t you take a shower? Just try not to get his neck too wet.” 

“I can do that.”

“Here are some towels, and I’ll have one of the boys bring up your clothes.” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Hewitt.” 

“Call me Grace, Theo.” 

“Thank you, Grace,” the chimera smiled. 

“How are we supposed to do this?” Liam looked up at the shirtless chimera. 

“You are going to sit on the edge of the tub, and I’m going to hand you a washcloth. Wipe the blood off you and then we will rinse it off without fully putting you under the water.”

“This sounds awful.” 

“I’ve done worse with you,” Theo smirked. 

They came back downstairs about twenty minutes later and laughed. Nolan and Alec were already back asleep; Alec was again on top of the smaller boy. Corey was half-asleep while Mason just held a thumbs up and rolled back over. Theo laid down first letting Liam curl into his body once again. He was shivering so bad from the lack of blood and wet hair. Theo sighed as he heard him fall asleep; he was still freezing.


End file.
